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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Australia play their biggest match ever as they face England

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The Stadium Australia is expected to be packed on Wednesday as joint hosts, Australia face England in the  second FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 semi-final. It is a clash of hosts against European champions.

This will be Australia’s first semi-final appearance at a FIFA Women’s World Cup, after they bowed out at the quarter-final stage in three of their previous campaigns (2007, 2011 and 2015).

In reaching the last four, the Matildas became only the second nation to have made it through to the FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-finals as hosts, after the USA, who were winners in 1999 and finished third in 2003. Tony Gustavsson’s charges will have a golden opportunity to make yet more history if they manage to overcome England in this one.

England have reached the semi-finals for the third consecutive edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Led by Sarina Wiegman – the only female coach left in the competition – the Lionesses overcame a valiant Colombia side in the last eight and will be going all out to secure their spot in a second successive major tournament final, after lifting the EURO crown on home soil in 2022.

LAST MEETING:

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  • 11/04/2023, England 0-2 Australia, friendly, Brentford Community Stadium, Brentford (England)

KEY FACTS

This will be a 32nd FIFA Women’s World Cup fixture for both nations. Australia’s record at the finals reads: Won: 10, Drawn: 7,  Lost: 14, while England’s is:  Won: 19,  Drawn: 5, Lost: 7.

This will be the teams’ first FIFA Women’s World Cup meeting. England will be Australia’s 17th different opponent in the competition, while the Lionesses will be facing their 18th different opponent.

Australia are the third Asian Football Confederation (AFC) representatives to feature in the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, after China PR (1995, 1999) and Japan (2011, 2015).

The AFC teams’ record in the FIFA Women’s World Cup last four reads: Won 3,  Lost 1.

Sides from the region have emerged victorious in each of their last three matches at this stage of the tournament, since China PR lost to Germany at the 1995 edition.

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Australia have scored 47 goals in FIFA Women’s World Cup history and are therefore three shy of the 50 goal landmark.

Australia’s 31 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches have yielded a total of 100 goals (Goals For: 47, Goals Against: 53).

Australia’s nine-goal haul at this year’s finals has equalled their previous highest tally in a single edition of the tournament, which they recorded at the 2007 and 2019 instalments.

England have won 10 and drawn one of their last 13 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches (Won:10, Drawn 1, Lost 2).

The Lionesses have prevailed in three and drawn one of their five FIFA Women’s World Cup outings against AFC opposition (Won 3, Drawn 1, Lost 1).

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England’s highest goals tally at a FIFA Women’s World Cup final competition is 13 (2019). They have found the net ten times so far at these finals.

England’s goalless stalemate against Nigeria in the round of 16 is the only occasion in their last 18 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches in which they have failed to score.

When she scored in the quarter-finals, Lauren Hemp (23y 5d) became the youngest England player to have netted in a FIFA Women’s World Cup knockout-stage match, claiming the record from her teammate Lucy Bronze, who was aged 23 years and 237 days when she was on target in the roundof16 meeting against Norway at the 2015 tournament.

AUSTRALIA TEAM FACTS

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS

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  • Overall record: Played: 31, Won: 10, Drawn: 7, Lost: 14, Goals For: 47, Goal Against: 53, Goals Difference: -6 
  • Biggest win: 4-0 Australia v. Canada (31/07/2023)
  • Biggest defeat: 0-5Australia v. Denmark (06/06/1995)
  • Highest scoring match: 6 goals – Australia 2-4 China PR (08/06/1995)
  • Most goals scored in a match: 4 – Australia 4-1 Ghana (12/09/2007)/Australia 4-1 Jamaica (18/06/2019)/Australia 4-0 Canada (31/07/2023)
  • Most goals conceded in a match: 5 – Australia 0-5 Denmark (06/06/1995)
  • Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 9 – 2007, 2019 and 2023 (5 matches)
  • Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 1995, 1999 and 2003 (3 matches) Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 13 – 1995 (3 matches)
  • Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 2023 (5 matches)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS

  • Successive wins: 2 (2011, 2019 and 2023)
  • Successive defeats: 3 (1995 and 1999-2003)
  • Successive draws: 2 (2007)
  • Successive matches without a defeat: 4 (2019-2023)
  • Successive matches without a win: 9 (1995-2003)
  • Successive matches with a goal scored: 12 (1995-2007)
  • Successive matches without scoring: 1 (four times, the last of which was 2023-present)
  • Successive clean sheets: 3 (2023-present)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP EXTRA-TIME MATCHES

  • 22/06/2019 Australia 1-1 Norway (1-4 PSO) (round of 16)
  • 12/08/2023 Australia 0-0 France (7-6 PSO) (quarter-finals)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS (Won 0, Lost; 1)

  • 22/06/2019 Australia 1-4 Norway (PSO) (round of 16)
  • 12/08/2023 Australia 7-6 France (PSO) (quarter-finals)

England team facts

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS

  • Overall record: Played: 31,Won: 19,  Drawn: 5,  Lost: 7, Goals For: 53, Goals Against: 32, Goal Difference: 21
  • Biggest win: 6-1England v. Argentina (17/09/2007)/6-1 England v. China PR (01/08/2023)
  • Biggest defeat: 0-3 England v. Germany (13/06/1995)/0-3 England v. USA (22/09/2007)
  • Highest scoring match: 7 goals – England 6-1 Argentina (17/09/2007)/England 6-1 China PR (01/08/2023)
  • Most goals scored in a match: 6 – England 6-1 Argentina (17/09/2007)/England 6-1 China PR (01/08/2023)
  • Most goals conceded in a match: 3 – England 0-3 Germany (13/06/1995)/England 0-3 USA (22/09/2007)
  • Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 13 – 2019 (7 matches)
  • Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 6 – 1995 and 2011 (4 matches)
  • Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 9 – 1995 (4 matches)
  • Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 2 – 2023 (5 matches)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS

  • Successive wins: 6 (2015-2019)
  • Successive defeats: 2 (2019)
  • Successive draws: 2 (2007)
  • Successive matches without a defeat: 6 (2015-2019)
  • Successive matches without a win: 3 (1995-2007)
  • Successive matches with a goal scored: 16 (2015-2023)
  • Successive matches without scoring: 1 (six times, the last of which was 2023-present)
  • Successive clean sheets: 4 (2019)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP EXTRA-TIME MATCHES

  • 09/07/2011 England 1-1 France (3-4 PSO) (quarter-finals)
  • 04/07/2015 England 1-0 Germany (match for third place)
  • 07/08/2023 England 0-0 Nigeria (4-2 PSO) (round of 16)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS (Won: 1, Lost 1)

  • 09/07/2011 England 3-4 France (PSO) (quarter-finals)
  • 07/08/2023 England 4-2 Nigeria (PSO) (round of 16)

 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Flamingos Set for Morocco 2025 as Nigeria’s U-17s Depart Abuja for Final World Cup Preparations

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Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will depart Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday, October 8, as they begin the final leg of preparations for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup scheduled to take place in Morocco.

The team will travel aboard Royal Air Maroc to Casablanca, Morocco’s industrial and economic hub, where they will set up camp ahead of the tournament.

During their stay in Casablanca, the Flamingos will step up their build-up programme with two high-profile international friendlies — first against New Zealand on October 10, and then Paraguay on October 14.

Following their training camp, the team will move into the official FIFA hotel in Rabat on October 15, joining other participating nations as the countdown begins to the global showpiece.

Drawn in Group D, Nigeria will face Canada, France, and Samoa in what promises to be a competitive group. The Flamingos will begin their campaign against Canada on Sunday, October 19, before locking horns with France three days later.

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Both matches will be played at the Football Academy Mohammed VI in Sale, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. Nigerian time. Their final group match comes against Samoa on October 25, starting at 5 p.m., also in Sale.

Head Coach Bankole Olowookere’s side heads into the tournament brimming with confidence after a remarkable build-up.

The Flamingos have played 10 tune-up games, scoring an impressive 44 goals without conceding any, a record that highlights their attacking prowess and defensive discipline.

Olowookere has expressed optimism about his team’s readiness, noting that the squad’s balance and form give them belief they can surpass their quarter-final finish at the last edition in the Dominican Republic.

With a perfect preparation run and growing momentum, the Flamingos will be aiming to make history in Morocco and bring pride to Nigerian women’s football once again.

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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Flamingos in Fiery Form as They Conclude World Cup Preparations in Abuja

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Shakirat Moshood riding on fellow forward Aisha Animashaun during one of the qualifying matches. 

Nigeria’s U17 Women’s National Team, the Flamingos, are rounding off their preparations for the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco with a string of dominant performances that underscore their growing confidence and team chemistry.

In a remarkable build-up campaign, the Flamingos have played eight friendly matches in Abuja, winning all and maintaining a perfect defensive record. The team has scored 26 goals without conceding, a run that has lifted morale and heightened expectations ahead of their World Cup challenge.

Last week, the team showcased their attacking prowess with a convincing 3–0 victory over Abuja All-Stars.

Praise Agba opened the scoring from a loose ball, Olamide Olanrewaju doubled the lead from the penalty spot, and Zainab Raji sealed the win with a thunderous strike shortly after the restart. Goalkeeper Sylvia Echefu was outstanding between the sticks, producing several key saves to preserve another clean sheet.

Earlier, the Flamingos overcame a rain-disrupted clash against Josiah Academy, running out 2–0 winners courtesy of a Chisom Nwachukwu brace within the opening 10 minutes before the downpour forced an early end to proceedings.

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The girls also recorded emphatic wins over Nazareth Angels (5–0), with Queen Joseph bagging a brace and goals from Praise Agba, Mariam Yahaya, and Chisom Nwachukwu; and Horvel Prime (5–0), where Joseph netted a first-half hat-trick, while captain Shakirat Moshood and Azeezat Oduntan added one apiece.

Across all their tune-up matches, the Flamingos have demonstrated an impressive balance — clinical in attack, disciplined in midfield, and solid at the back — as they fine-tune for global competition.

Drawn in Group D alongside Canada, France, and Samoa, Nigeria will depart for Morocco on October 8, aiming to carry their perfect form into the tournament, which runs from October 17 to November 8.

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Falconets Edge She-Amavubi as Nigeria Extends Winning Run Over Rwanda

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Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, continued the country’s dominance over Rwanda on the international football stage by securing a 1–0 victory in Kigali on Sunday in the first leg of their 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup second-round qualifier.

The narrow win comes against the backdrop of two recent triumphs by the Super Eagles over Rwanda in the men’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, underlining Nigeria’s growing hold in encounters with the East Africans.

At the Kigali-Pele Stadium in Nyamirambo, both sides battled fiercely in a goalless first half, with chances at a premium. The breakthrough arrived in the 70th minute when Alaba Olabiyi bundled the ball home from a goalmouth scramble after a Falconets corner. The strike proved enough to hand Coach Moses Aduku a winning start in his first competitive game in charge of the team.

With the victory, the Falconets carry a slim but valuable advantage into the return leg at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, on Saturday, where they will be backed by home support as they push for a place in the next round of qualifiers.

The team’s delegation is expected back in Nigeria on Monday morning to begin preparations for the decisive clash.

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