WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Statistics ahead of Super Falcons crunchy match against co-hosts, Australia’s Matildas

Published

1 year ago

July 26, 2023

Blast from the past; Ngozi Ebere battling with Lisa De Vanna at the 2015 edition in Canada. Australia won 2-0. Photograph: Bruce Fedyck/USA Today Sports

Joint-hosts Australia got their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 campaign off to a promising start with an opening victory against the Republic of Ireland, and they will be looking to build on that against Nigeria as they bid to take a big step towards qualification for the knockout stage.

Nigeria claimed an excellent goalless draw against Olympic champions Canada in their tournament curtainraiser, a result that will give them plenty of confidence coming into this encounter.

That was the Super Falcons’ first scoreless stalemate in 27 FIFA Women’s World Cup outings, and they will be eager to produce another solid defensive display against the Matildas in Brisbane/Meaanjin.

The two teams have met once before – back in the group stage of the 2015 edition – and it was Australia who emerged victorious on that occasion thanks to two unanswered goals from Kyah Simon.

Head-to-Head:12/06/2015, Australia 2-0 Nigeria, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 group stage, Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg (Canada)

KEY FACTS

Australia have won their last three FIFA Women’s World Cup matches against African opposition.
Australia have won ten of their last 11 international matches (Win:10, Lost 1).
The Matildashave kept seven clean sheets in their last nine international fixtures.
Australia have only failed to score in one of their last 21 FIFA Women’s World Cup group matches.
Nigeria have won only two of their last 18 FIFA Women’s World Cup encounters (Draw 3,Lost 13).
At the age of 40 years and 80 days, Onome Ebi could become the second-oldest player to feature in a Women’s World Cup match, and the oldest African player. The oldest player to make an appearance in FIFA Women’s World Cup history is Brazil’s Formiga, who lined up against France in 2019 aged 41 years and 112 days.

AUSTRALIA TEAM FACTS

Overall record: Play: 27, Win: 8, Draw: 6, Lost: 13, Goals For: 39, Goals Against: 50, Goal Difference: -11
Biggest win: Australia 4-1Ghana (12/09/2007), Australia 4-1 Jamaica (18/06/2019)
Biggest defeat: Australia 0-5Denmark (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)and Australia 4-1 Jamaica (18/06/2019)
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 and 2019 (4 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: 5 – 2015 (5 matches)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS

Successive wins: 2 (2011 and 2019)
Successive defeats: 3 (1995 and 1999-2003)
Successive draws: 2 (2007)
Successive matches without a defeat: 4 (2007, 2015 and 2019-present)
Successive matches without a win: 9 (1995-2003)
Successive matches with a goal scored: 12 (1995-2007)
Successive matches without scoring: 1 (1995, 2011, 2015)
Successive clean sheets: 1 (2015, 2015 and 2023-present)

NIGERIA TEAM FACTS

Overall record: Play: 27, Win: 4, Draw: 4, Lost: 19, Goals For: 20, Goals Against: 63, Goal Difference: -43.
Biggest win: Nigeria 2-0 Denmark (27/06/1999), Nigeria 2-0 Korea Republic (12/06/2019)
Biggest defeat: 0-8Nigeria 0-8 Norway (06/06/1995)
Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Nigeria 0-8 Norway (06/06/1995)and Nigeria 1-7 USA (24/06/1999)
Most goals scored in a match: 3 – Nigeria 3-3 Canada (08/06/1995), Nigeria 3-4 Brazil (01/07/1999)and Nigeria 3-3 Sweden (08/06/2015)
Most goals conceded in a match: 8 – Nigeria 0-8 Norway (06/06/1995)
Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 1999 (4 matches)
Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 0 – 1991 and 2003 (3 matches)
Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 14 – 1995 (3 matches)
Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 2 – 2011 (3 matches)

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS

Successive wins: 1 (four times)
Successive defeats: 4 (three times)
Successive draws: 1 (four times, the last of which was 2023-present)
Successive matches without a defeat: 2 (2011-2015)
Successive matches without a win: 9 (1999-2011)
Successive matches with a goal scored: 6 (1995-1999)
Successive matches without scoring: 4 (1991-1995 and 2007-2011)
Successive clean sheets: 1 (four times, the last of which was 2023-present)

WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

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

Published

4 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

3 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.