WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Last chance as Banyana Banyana quest for Women’s World Cup Round of 16

Published

1 year ago

August 1, 2023

South Africa’s Banyana Banyana have a last chance of joining Nigeria as African team crossing the group stage of the Women’s Word Cup.

A fascinating encounter awaits in Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara as South Africa meet Italy in a Group G match, with the two teams and Argentina competing to join Sweden, who have already qualified for the knockout stage.

In their second match of the 2023 finals against Argentina, South Africa picked up their first-ever point in a FIFA Women’s World Cup match, having lost their previous four matches in the competition.

That point will give them a huge boost in confidence. They are aiming to reach the knockout rounds of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time and they will need to win this game to have a chance of doing so.

Italy have qualified for the knockout rounds in two of their previous three FIFA Women’s World Cup participations and they can make it three in four with a victory here.

They will, however, have to bounce back from a 5-0 loss at the hands of Sweden last time out. A draw will see them reach the round of 16, as long as Argentina do not beat Sweden in the other match in Group H, though victory will make the other result irrelevant.

Last meeting:

09/08/2008, Sweden 1-0 Argentina, Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008, Tianjin Olympic Sports Center Stadium, Tianjin (China)

KEY FACTS

South Africa have lost their previous three FIFA Women’s World Cup matches against European opposition.
South Africa scored two goals against Argentina in a FIFA Women’s World Cup match for the first time.
South Africa have scored the first goal in three of their five FIFA Women’s World Cup matches.
Italy’s only previous FIFA Women’s World Cup match against African opposition was a 1-0 victory against Nigeria in the group stage in 1991.
Italy have never lost successive matches in the FIFA Women’s World Cup group stage.

SOUTH AFRICA TEAM FACTS

Overall record: Play5, Win 0, Draw 1, Lost 4, Goals For: 4, Goals Against 12, Goal Difference: -8
Biggest win: nil
Biggest defeat:South Africa 0-1Germany (17/06/2019)
Highest scoring match: 4 goals – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019), South Africa 0-4 Germany (17/06/2019)and Argentina 2-2 South Africa (28/07/2023) Most goals scored in a match: 1 – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019)/Sweden 2-1 South Africa (23/07/2023)/Argentina 2-2 South Africa (28/07/2023)
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: 3 –2023 (2 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: 4 – 2023 (2 matches)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS

Successive wins: 0
Successive defeats: 4 (2019-2023)
Successive draws: 1 (2023-present)
Successive matches without a defeat: 1 (2023-present)
Successive matches without a win: 5 (2019-present)
Successive matches with a goal scored: 2 (2023-present)
Successive matches without scoring: 2 (2019)
Successive clean sheets: 0

ITALY TEAM FACTS

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS

Overall record: Play14, Win 7, Draw 1, Lost 6, Goals For 21, Goals Against 17, Goal Difference: 4
Biggest win: Italy 5-0 Chinese Taipei (17/11/1991), Italy 5-0 Jamaica (14/06/2019)
Biggest defeat:Italy 0-5Sweden (29/07/2023)
Highest scoring match: 5 goals – Italy 5-0 Chinese Taipei (17/11/1991), Italy 5-0 Jamaica (14/06/2019), Norway 3-2 Italy (24/11/1991)and Italy 0-5 Sweden (29/07/2023)
Most goals scored in a match: 5 – Italy 5-0 Chinese Taipei (17/11/1991)/Italy 5-0 Jamaica (14/06/2019)
Most goals conceded in a match: 5 – Italy 0-5 Sweden (29/07/2023)
Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 9 – 2019 (5 matches)
Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 1999 (3 matches)
Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 5 – 1991 (4 matches)and 2023-present (2 matches)
Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 1999 (3 matches)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS

Successive wins: 3 (1999-2019)
Successive defeats: 2 (1991)
Successive draws: 1 (1999)
Successive matches without a defeat: 3 (1999-2019)
Successive matches without a win: 4 (1991-1999)
Successive matches with a goal scored: 3 (1999-2019)
Successive matches without scoring: 1 (five times, the last time was 2023-present)
Successive clean sheets: 2 (1991)

WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

What a goal-laden day for Nigeria; Falconets also win with wide margin!

Published

2 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Nigeria Super Falconets gave Nigerians additional joy after their 4-0 defeat of Venezuela in Cali, Colombia in their last group match. Their victory followed up with an earlier 3-0 win by the Super Eagles in their opening Group D match with Benin Republic in Uyo.

The Falconets’ win means they have qualified for the Round of 16 where they are most likely going to face Japan when the group games are completed on Sunday.

Both Nigeria and Germany tied on six points, but Germany have one goal better than Nigeria on goal difference.

The Super Falcons made early hays when Amina Bello put Nigeria ahead after 16 minutes. Chiamaka Okwuchukwu doubled the lead in the 28^th minute before Flourish Sebastine put in the third five minutes into the added time of the first half. Joy Igbokwe put in the back breaker four minutes into the added time of the second hald.

WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Okwuchukwu shines despite Nigeria’s defeat to Germany in U-20 Women’s World Cup

Published

2 days ago

September 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Nigeria’s U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign suffered a setback as they fell to a 3-1 defeat against a clinical German side in Bogota, Colombia on Wednesday night.

The result secures Germany’s place in the knockout stages, while leaving the Falconets with work to do in their final group match.

In an end-to-end encounter, both sides created numerous chances, but it was Germany who struck first. Cora Zicai’s pinpoint cross found Alara Sehitler, who nodded home in the 17th minute to give the Europeans the lead.

Nigeria’s star performer, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, had earlier come close to opening the scoring with a magnificent solo run, only to be denied by German goalkeeper Rebecca Adamczyk.

Okwuchukwu’s persistence paid off early in the second half when she capitalized on a defensive mix-up to draw Nigeria level, celebrating with Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous ‘siuuu’ celebration.

However, Germany’s quality shone through as they regained the lead through Sofie Zdebel, again assisted by the impressive Zicai.

Despite Okwuchukwu having another goal ruled out for offside, Germany sealed the win in stoppage time with Sarah Ernst’s powerful header.

The defeat leaves Nigeria on three points from two matches, with their final group game against Venezuela in Cali now crucial to their hopes of progressing.

WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Points of Note in Falconets’ loss to Germany

Published

3 days ago

September 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Germany beat Nigeria’s Falconets 3-1 in their second group game of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. With Germany’s win, the Europeans have made it to the last 16 stage, even with a game to spare.

The coach of Germany, Kathrin Peter acknowledged the efforts of the Nigerian team , saying: “It was a really tough match today.

“That was expected, but we actually had big problems in defence. They had a few chances where we had the necessary luck, we have to admit that.

“But in the second half we were really good and asserted our dominance and I think we deserved to win in the end.”

Here are some major points:

Germany beat Nigeria 2-0 in the final match 14 years ago in Germany.

Germany have now won their last four FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup meetings with Nigeria. Alex Popp inspired a 2-0 victory in the 2010 final, Lena Petermann settled the decider in extra-time four year later, and Stefanie Sanders was the solitary scorer in Group D in 2018.