WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Facts before the match as South Africa face Sweden
South Africa will on Sunday be the third of the four African teams to play their opening match in the on-going Women’s World Cup.
This Group G match represents the first FIFA Women’s World Cup encounter between Sweden and South Africa. Overall, it is their third competitive meeting as they have met twice in the group stage at the Olympics, with Sweden winning both times; 4-1 in 2012 and 1-0 in 2016.
Runners-up in 2003, Sweden’s qualification for Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand 2023 has maintained their record of appearing at every FIFA Women’s World Cup™ since the inaugural tournament in 1991.
South Africa will be making their second successive appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup following their debut at France 2019, which ended in the group stage. Confidence within their camp will be at an all-time high after winning the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations – their first-ever continental title – which secured their ticket for the finals in Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand.
Last meeting:
22/01/2019: South Africa 0-0 Sweden, friendly, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town (South Africa)
KEY FACTS
Sweden reached the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the fourth time in 2019 where they were edged out 1-0 after extra time by the Netherlands. They went on to defeat England 2-1 in the match for third place.
The earliest goal in Women’s World Cup history was scored by Sweden’s Lena Videkull after just 30 seconds in their 8-0 victory against Japan in the 1991 group stage. It is a result which remains their biggest win at the finals.
Sweden are unbeaten in their last four FIFA Women’s World Cup matches against African nations (W2 D2).
Caroline Seger is set to make her 18th Women’s World Cup appearance, moving her joint-second on Sweden’s all-time list alongside Therese Sjögran. Only Hedvig Lindahl (20) has made more than 18 appearances for Sweden in the competition.
A 2-1 victory against Morocco in the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final saw South Africa win their first-ever continental title after finishing as runners-up on five previous occasions. Pivotal to their success was goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, who kept three clean sheets in six games and claimed the Best Goalkeeper award at the conclusion of the tournament.
Thembi Kgatlana claimed the honour of scoring South Africa’s first Women’s World Cup goal in a 3-1 defeat against Spain in their opening match at the 2019 finals.
SWEDEN TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: P: 40 W: 23 D: 5 L: 12 F: 71 A: 48 GD: 23
- Biggest win: 8-0 Sweden v. Japan (19/11/1991)
- Biggest defeat: 1-4 Sweden v. Norway (27/11/1991)/1-4 Sweden v. Germany (20/06/2015)
- Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Japan 0-8 Sweden (19/11/1991)
- Most goals scored in a match: 8 – Japan 0-8 Sweden (19/11/1991)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 4 – Sweden 1-4 Norway (27/11/1991)/Germany 4-1 Sweden (20/06/2015)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 18 – 1991 (6 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 2007 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2015 (4 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 4 – 1995 (4 matches)/2007 (3 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 5 (2007-2011)
- Successive defeats: 2 (1999-2003)
- Successive draws: 3 (2015)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 5 (2007-2011)
- Successive matches without a win: 4 (2015)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 14 (1995-2007)
- Successive matches without scoring: 1 (five times)
- Successive clean sheets: 3 (1991)
SOUTH AFRICA TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: P: 3 W: 0 D: 0 L: 3 F: 1 A: 8 GD: -7
- Biggest win: n/a
- Biggest defeat: 0-4 South Africa v. Germany (17/06/2019)
- Highest scoring match: 4 goals – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019)/South Africa 0-4 Germany (17/06/2019)
- Most goals scored in a match: 1 – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 4 – South Africa 0-4 Germany (17/06/2019)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2019 (3 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 0
- Successive defeats: 3 (2019-present)
- Successive draws: 0
- Successive matches without a defeat: 0
- Successive matches without a win: 3 (2019-present)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 1 (2019)
- Successive matches without scoring: 2 (2019-present)
Successive clean sheets: 0
Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos will gun for the maximum points when they take on their counterparts from New Zealand on Wednesday night in what is the first match of this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic.
Although the game between the host nation Dominican Republic and Ecuador (the other fixture in Group A) is billed as the opening match, Nigeria and New Zealand will do battle at the CFC Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros from 4 pm local time (9 pm in Nigeria), while the host nation and Ecuador will square up as from 9 pm local time (2 am Thursday in Nigeria).
Bronze medallists in the last edition of the competition in India, the Flamingos are aiming to go farther this time, with Head Coach Bankole Olowookere insisting that he has the ammunition to overcome opponents on their way.
“I have confidence in the girls to deliver the goods at this competition. We have come well-prepared to do even better than we did in India. The Nigeria Football Federation has done everything to prepare the team well, with a two-week final camping here in the Dominican Republic.
“We do not under-rate any of our opponents. However, we will take it one match at a time and produce our best in each game in order to go all the way.”
The Flamingos have previously missed taking part in only one edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals – the 2018 finals in Uruguay.
In the qualifying campaign for this year’s finals, the Nigerian girls notched 25 goals in six matches, with 13 of them scored by clinical forward Harmony Chidi.
After the encounter with New Zealand on Wednesday night, the Flamingos will confront their counterparts from Ecuador, also at the CFC Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros, before their final group phase game against the host nation at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo. The clash with Ecuador is on Saturday, 19th October while the battle with the host nation is on Tuesday, 22nd October.
Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has listed Captain Taiwo Afolabi and forwards Harmony Chidi and Peace Effiong in his 21-woman Flamingos’ roster for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic.
The clinical Chidi scored 13 of the team’s record-setting 25 goals in the qualifying series, as the bronze medallists from the last edition of the championship in India barnstormed their way past Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Liberia in the continental campaign.
Petite midfielder Afolabi will lead the midfield, alongside Faridat Abdulwahab, Shakirat Moshood and Ayomide Rotimi, while first-choice goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma will have Sylvia Echefu and Elizabeth Boniface pushing her to her best all the time.
Taiwo Adegoke leads six other defenders, with Harmony Chidi leading six other forwards including Peace Effiong.
Nigeria will compete in Group A of the 16-nation finals alongside host nation Dominican Republic, Ecuador and New Zealand.
The delegation of Flamingos will depart the shores of Nigeria aboard a Turkish Airlines flight on Tuesday, 1st October for a two-week training tour in Santo Domingo, capital city of the Dominican Republic, ahead of the commencement of the tournament.
FLAMINGOS FOR FIFA U17 WORLD CUP DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 2024
Goalkeepers: Christiana Uzoma (Edo Queens); Elizabeth Boniface (Sunshine Queens); Sylvia Echefu (Confluence Queens)
Defenders: Prisca Nwachukwu (Imo Strikers); Jumai Adebayo (Naija Ratels); Taiwo Adegoke (Remo Stars Ladies); Rokibat Azeez (New Generation Academy); Hannah Ibrahim (Remo Stars Ladies); Vivian Ekezie (Heartland Queens); Ololade Isiaka (Abia Angels)
Midfielders: Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens); Faridat Abdulwahab (Nasarawa Amazons); Shakirat Moshood (Bayelsa Queens); Muinat Rotimi (Nakamura Football Academy)
Forwards: Oghenemairo Obruthe (City Sports); Harmony Chidi (Imo Strikers); Kudirat Arogundade (Green Foot); Ramotalahi Kareem (Honey Badgers); Aishat Animashaun (Naija Ratels); Peace Effiong (Rivers Angels); Blessing Ifitezue (Delta Queens)
FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Dominican Republic 2024
Group A: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, New Zealand, Nigeria
Group B: Spain, USA, Korea Republic, Colombia
Group C: Korea DPR, Mexico, Kenya, England
Group D: Japan, Poland, Brazil, Zambia
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of Justin Madugu as a temporary successor to America’s Randy Waldrum, who has stepped down.
The NFF announced that its decision was based on the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Coach Justin Madugu will lead the remaining technical crew and take charge of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, pending the appointment of a substantive Head Coach.
The Super Falcons’ next big engagement is the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals, taking place in Morocco in the summer of next year.
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