FIFA WCC: Gallant Falcons lose penalties 4-2 to England, crash out

In a gripping match at Brisbane Stadium, England showcased their resilience, securing a spot in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup at the expense of Nigeria. Their hard-fought victory came through a dramatic penalty shootout, with England prevailing 4-2 over Nigeria after a goalless draw in regular time. Notably, this victory marks England’s third consecutive triumph in Women’s World Cup Round-of-16 matches, a remarkable achievement for the team. The Lionesses faced adversity when Lauren James was shown a red card in the latter stages of normal play. Despite this setback, they held their ground during the extra time, demonstrating their determination and teamwork. Chloe Kelly emerged as the hero of the hour, calmly converting her penalty kick during the tense shootout. This triumphant moment booked England’s ticket to the upcoming encounter with either Colombia or Jamaica. Throughout the match, Nigeria demonstrated their mettle, coming dangerously close to seizing the lead. Ashleigh Plumptre’s powerful left-footed strike from the edge of the box rattled the crossbar, and Mary Earps’ follow-up save denied Nigeria’s subsequent attempt. A pivotal moment arrived when the Lionesses believed they had earned a penalty opportunity after Rasheedat Ajibade’s challenge on Rachel Daly. However, the referee’s decision was overturned after a thorough VAR review. In the second half, Uchenna Kanu’s header from a corner narrowly missed the target. England’s Rachel Daly found herself in a prime position for a header, but a brilliant reaction save by Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, denied her the goal. With only three minutes remaining, Lauren James was sent off following a VAR examination, the result of an incident involving Michelle Alozie. The match ventured into extra time, but neither side managed to break the deadlock. The turning point came during the penalty shootout, as Nigeria faltered with their first two spot-kicks, failing to hit the target. Chloe Kelly’s successful conversion of England’s penalty ultimately proved to be the decider, securing a hard-earned victory and a place in the quarter-finals. England’s journey through the Women’s World Cup continues to captivate fans worldwide as they demonstrate their prowess and spirit on the global stage.

FWWC: Spain mauls Switzerland 5-1 to berth quarterfinals

An Aitana Bonmati-inspired Spain took Switzerland to the cleaners 5-1 on Saturday to secure a spot in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter-finals for the first time. This was the second time Spain hit five goals at Australia and New Zealand 2023, having defeated Zambia 5-0 in the group stage. The team’s midfield maestro and Player of the Match, Bonmati scored twice, with Alba Redondo, Laia Codina, and Jennifer Hermoso also on target in a dominant display. Spain hit the front early on when Bonmati superbly cut the ball back onto her left foot before slotting home with a clever finish. Switzerland soon equalised, though in a bizarre fashion. Spain defender Codina misplaced a pass back to goalkeeper Cata Coll, with the ball rolling into the net to the amazement of the Eden Park crowd. Jorge Vilda’s side responded defiantly to that shock blow and were back ahead. This was when Redondo – starting her first game of the tournament – expertly placed an opportunistic header beyond Swiss stopper, Gaelle Thalmann. Spain was relentless at this point and forged 3-1 ahead through the brilliant Bonmati. If her first goal was good, then this one was exceptional. With one stunning turn inside the penalty box, she dribbled three Swiss defenders and their goalkeeper, then calmly finished to double her team’s advantage. Spain put the result beyond doubt just before half-time when Codina atoned for her own goal by prodding in from close range following a goal-mouth scramble. The second half was a more competitive affair, with Switzerland substitute Meriame Terchoun’s snapshot forcing a smart save from Coll. Spain were to have the last word though, with Hermoso completing the scoring with a clinical strike. Spain will face the winner of Sunday’s tie between the Netherlands and South Africa in the quarter-final. Jorge Vilda, Spain’s coach told newsmen after the match that his team approached the game well and were very offensive which was key to their victory. “What I liked the most about the team was our competitiveness – how we went into the duels and how we won the duels. “We showed what we can do, even without being at our best level. We made history [by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time]. “We proved we are a team of 23 players and we are very happy,” he said. Ramona Bachmann, Switzerland forward expressed disappointment over the team’s defeat, admitting however that they lost to a better side. “Today it was just difficult. You could see that Spain was a class better. “In the first 20-25 minutes we had a few good attacks, but we weren’t clever playing them through to the end. “We wanted to be dangerous on the counter-attack, which worked out a few times in the first half, but not so much in the second,” she said.

FIFA WWCup: CAF hosts Technical Analysts workshop in Casablanca

With the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ New Zealand and Australia 2023 fast approaching, Technical Analysts of the four African Nations at the global showpiece gathered for a two-day Technical Analysts Workshop in Casablanca, Morocco on 13 and 14 June.  See This is in line with CAF’s commitment to invest in women’s Football and empower African nations participating in global events.  The workshop, organized through the CAF Women’s Football Division in collaboration with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, was attended by the technical staff members and analysts of the four Participating Member Associations.    Reigning African champions South Africa, along with Morocco, Nigeria, and Zambia, are the four African nations set to compete at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ after securing their places in New Zealand and Australia by finishing in the top four of the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last year.  CAF Director of Technical Development, Raul Chipenda, said the workshop was in line with CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe’s vision of making African football to be globally competitive.  “Africa is becoming competitive on the global stage, and this was recently demonstrated in Qatar with Morocco’s historic semi-final qualification. We want to build on this momentum with our women’s teams as this speaks back to Dr Motsepe’s vision of making African football globally competitive,” said Chipenda.  “The workshop was designed to empower the teams’ analysts and technical staff with the necessary tools to harness their full potential – using data and technology. By leveraging this invaluable resource, the teams can optimize their preparations ahead of the World Cup. We will also be on standby should they need any form of support from CAF,” he concluded.  In addition to the workshop, CAF has signed an agreement with a Data company to provide insightful support to all African teams at the Women’s World Cup.   Nigeria face co-hosts Australia, Canada and Republic of Ireland in Group B. At the same time, Zambia take on Costa Rica, Japan and Spain in Group C.  Africa’s champions South Africa are in Group G with Argentina, Italy and Sweden, with Morocco, who will be looking to draw inspiration from the Atlas Lions’ unforgettable run in Qatar preparing to take on Colombia, Germany and South Korea in Group H.