WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
France coach Renard lauds players despite quarter-final exit
France coach Herve Renard said he had nothing to criticise his players for after they were beaten by “millimetres” in the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup, losing to Australia in a dramatic penalty shootout on Saturday.
The match finished 0-0 following extra time, with Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold saving three French penalties before Cortnee Vine scored the winning spot kick to make it 7-6.
France, who were looking to reach the semi-finals for the second time after 2011, had their fair share of chances, and Renard said the match could have gone either way.
“It’s very difficult to fight against these things but unfortunately we weren’t able to quite clinch that win,” Renard told reporters. “I’ve got nothing to criticise. Everyone worked exceptionally hard. We have no regrets.”
Renard opted to bring on goalkeeper Solene Durand to face the penalties in place of starting stopper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, with the substitute making some key saves in the shootout.
The Frenchman said the substitution had been planned well in advance, adding: “All of us knew the qualities of Durand, she’s amazing on the penalty shootout.
“If we won this evening, I would be king of the world, but this evening I’m nothing because we lost by some millimetres. This is football but it’s also why we love football, because I think all the people watching this game were enjoying (it).
“I think it was a fantastic image of women’s football.”
Renard said he and his squad would quickly turn their thoughts to next year’s Olympic Games on home soil in Paris.
“We’re going to continue to progress and we’re going to keep this mindset and everything will be fine,” Renard said.
“We’re just going to continue this year 2023, get off to a good start for 2024 with the Nations League and then we’ll be preparing for the Olympic Games.
“We’re hoping that we’ll be able to recover some of the players that maybe we were missing from the squad this time around. That’s once again part and parcel of football. This will allow us to become even stronger.”
-Reuters
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.
Japan survived a late scare against Nigeria to set up a re-match of the 2022 final with Spain in Sunday’s quarter-finals.
In rainy Bogota, Miyu Matsunaga’s free header just after the half hour was enough to send Japan to the break with a lead, as they have done at every match at Colombia 2024.
Maya Hijikata then doubled the advantage midway through the second term, tucking home a cross from substitute Chinari Sasai at the back post; that goal taking her joint-top of the adidas Golden Boot race with Brazil’s Vendito.
Olushola Shobowale did manage to pull one back for Nigeria in stoppage time but they couldn’t find a second as Japan hung on to close out the 2-1 win and set up that epic quarter-final clash with Spain. It is a re-match of the final match of the last edition in Costa Rica two years ago.
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