Sports
Women’s W/Cup: ‘S’Falcons’ve A Chance’
Five-time African player of the year, Asisat Oshoala, has welcomed Nigeria’s 2023 Women’s World Cup draw, which pits them against co-hosts Australia and Olympic champions Canada.
The ever-present Super Falcons will also face the Republic of Ireland, who will be making their tournament debut in Group B.
“I think we have a really good group. It’s the World Cup and it’s not meant to be easy or a walk in the park. With the group we have, I feel we have a chance,” Barcelona forward Oshoala told news men.
The tournament will begin on 20 July next year, with Nigeria opening their campaign against Canada in Melbourne on 21 July before facing Australia and the Republic of Ireland in Brisbane.
All three countries sit above Nigeria in the world rankings, with Canada seventh, Australia 13th and the Republic of Ireland in 24th, some 21 places above the West Africans.
The nine-time African champions played two friendlies against Canada in April, losing 2-0 before a 2-2 draw, but the World Cup fixture will be the third meeting between the two nations at the tournament.
Their first encounter was a 3-3 draw at the 1995 World Cup in Sweden, followed by a 1-0 win for Nigeria in a dead rubber at the 2011 global showpiece, while the West Africans lost 2-0 to Australia in the 2015 event.
“We get to play Canada, a team we know very well, and of course Australia,” Oshoala added.
“It won’t be easy against the Republic of Ireland, but we had Australia in our 2015 group. We lost to them 2-0. It’s a good opportunity for us to come back and also prove that we’ve improved from the team they played seven years ago.
“We have a very good group and are really excited for the tournament.”
Continental giants Nigeria are the only African team to have played in all eight Women’s World Cups since 1991, but the Super Falcons have failed to translate their continental dominance on to the world stage.
Their best performance at the World Cup came when reaching the quarter-finals in 1999, while they also reached the knockout stages in 2019, losing 3-0 to Germany.
After making scoring appearances at both the 2015 and 2019 finals, Oshoala is targeting a place in coach Randy Waldrum’s squad next year.
“I hope I get picked to go to the tournament because it’s the coach who makes the World Cup selection,” she said.
“If I get an opportunity to play for the national team during this tournament, I would give 100%. I’m really looking forward to it. Really excited for this one and let’s see what 2023 brings to us.”
South Africa may have claimed their maiden continental title this year but the team has struggled since, after being outclassed in friendlies against Brazil and Australia.
For their second appearance on the global stage, South Africa have been paired in a tricky group G against Sweden, Italy and Argentina.
But coach Desiree Ellis said Banyana Banyana are in a “reasonable” group and feels confident her side can progress to the last 16.
“I think it’s a reasonable draw. We’ve played Sweden before but we haven’t met Italy and Argentina,” she told the South African FA website.
“It could have been a tougher one, so we are happy with it. When it comes to Sweden, we have played against the Netherlands and they are similar.
“And with regards to Argentina, we have played against Brazil and they are similar. Italy are from the same continent as the Netherlands, but maybe they are different types of teams.
“Now the planning and preparation starts – the analysing of teams and making sure that we have as much information as we can – and also getting the right friendlies.”
World Cup debutants Zambia stunned Nigeria in a play-off encounter to finish third at this year’s Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco.
They have been handed the task of facing 2011 world champions Japan, Spain and Costa Rica in Group C.
“There are no easy teams in women’s football at the moment. For us, it’s just important to be here, especially as this is our first time,” coach Bruce Mwape told Fifa.com.
“The whole country is behind us, supporting the team, and our achievements recently show that there has been a lot of improvement in Zambian football.”
Africa’s other representative Morocco have been drawn to face two-time World Cup winners Germany, Colombia and South Korea in Group H.
Meanwhile, possible opponents have also been drawn for Cameroon and Senegal, who will feature in the 10-team intercontinental play-offs to reach the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Should they pick a ticket in New Zealand, Senegal will come up against European champions England, Denmark and China in Group D.
Seeking a third successive appearance at the Women’s World Cup, the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon could end up facing record four-time winners and holders USA, Vietnam and the Netherlands in Group E.
Sports
Tottenham Fight Back To Hold Brighton
Tottenham fought back from two-goals down to secure a deserved point against Brighton.
The Seagulls were second best for much of the match but found themselves 2-0 up after 31 minutes thanks to Yankuba Minteh’s early strike and Yasin Ayari’s powerful drive.
However, Richarlison halved the deficit just before half-time when he stopped a shot by Mohammed Kudus before slotting in.
Spurs dominated the second half but their finishing let them down as Richarlison and substitute Xavi Simons were both unable to make the most of promising opportunities.
But the equaliser came eight minutes from time when Jan Paul van Hecke turned Kudus’ cross into his own net.
Spurs then pushed for a winner as they looked to continue their impressive start to the season, but Brighton held on for the point.
Bundesliga: Kane Continues Goal Harvest (5)
Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the season as Bayern Munich overcame a shaky start to win at Hoffenheim and continue their 100% start.
The England captain, 32, broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with a clinical first-time finish from a cleverly worked low corner, and doubled Bayern’s lead from the spot after Albian Hajdari was harshly penalised for a handball.
That broke Hoffenheim’s resistance and Kane completed his ninth Bundesliga hat-trick with another penalty, given for a foul on substitute Michael Olise after a video assistant referee (VAR) check.
This time Kane sent home keeper Oliver Baumann the wrong way for his 13th Bayern goal in seven matches across all competitions this season, adding to his Champions League double against Chelsea last Wednesday.
“Hat-trick Harry is what they called me in school,” Kane told Tidesports source after the match. “That one kind of stuck when I was younger.”
“Any ball in the box, whether penalty or not, I back myself to hit the target.”
Hoffenheim had the better of the first 45 minutes, Fisnik Asllani only able to hit the post after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer passed straight to the Kosovan.
They eventually got some reward for their efforts, former West Ham full-back Vladimir Coufal’s deflected free-kick beating Neuer to earn the Czech his first goal for the club.
Ex-Liverpool winger Luis Diaz hit the top of the bar late on as he failed to continue his record of scoring in every Bundesliga game this season, but Serge Gnabry added a fourth for Bayern with the last kick, converting a rebound from a tight angle after Baumann saved from Joshua Kimmich.
Nicolas Jackson made his first start since joining Bayern on an initial loan deal from Chelsea, but the Senegal striker had a very quiet game before being replaced in the 62nd minute.
In Italy, Lorenzo Pellegrini fired Roma into the Serie A top four as Lazio had two players sent off in a fiery derby.
The midfielder found the bottom corner in the 38th minute as Roma extended their unbeaten run to four games against their city rivals.
Lazio have lost three of their opening games of the season and had Reda Belahyane and former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi dismissed in late drama.
Roma started well and Rome-born Pellegrini claimed the vital goal – his fourth in a Rome derby after being available for transfer in the summer – following good work down the right by Matias Soule.
But the hosts will rue missed opportunities as Boulaye Dia, Mattia Zaccagni and Alessio Romagnoli all had openings.
With four minutes left substitute Belahyane was shown a red card for a late studs-up challenge on Manu Kone.
Danilo Cataldi struck the outside of the post for Lazio in a last-gasp effort to snatch a point, while team-mate Guendouzi was sent off for dissent after the final whistle.
Sports
Zidane’s Son Switches Allegiance To Algeria
Luca Zidane, the son of France’s World Cup-winning playmaker Zinedine, has switched his international allegiance from France to Algeria.
Born just outside Marseille, the 27-year-old goalkeeper had appeared for France at various youth levels.
The move, which was approved by Fifa, may enable Zidane to follow in his father’s footsteps by appearing at a World Cup, with Algeria expected to secure a place at the 2026 finals in North America in their qualifier against Somalia next month.
Zidane, who is the second of four brothers, all of whom came through the Real Madrid academy, currently plays for Spanish second tier side Granada.
He played two matches for Madrid and has La Liga experience at Rayo Vallecano, but dropped a level in 2022 to play for Eibar before heading to Andalusia in 2024.
Zidane qualifies for the North African country through his father, whose parents hailed from the Kabylie region of Algeria.
Zinedine Zidane, who is regarded as one of the games greatest players scored twice for France in their 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil, but was famously sent-off in the 2006 final, which was won by Italy after a penalty shootout.
Sports
Man Utd Beat Chelsea To Ease Pressure
Manchester United capitalised on Robert Sanchez’s fifth-minute red card to secure a crucial victory over Chelsea in torrential rain at Old Trafford.
The first match in Premier League history to see two or more goals, red cards and substitutions in the first half was settled by goals from United skipper Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, who was the other player sent off before the break.
It was Sanchez’s dismissal that set the course of the game though.
The Spain international raced from his goal to meet Bryan Mbeumo as the striker ran beyond the Chelsea defence.
Sanchez then upended the forward outside his area rather than allow him past to tap the ball into an empty net.
Enzo Maresca’s response to the red card was to take off both Pedro Neto and Estevao Willian and, as Cole Palmer had to be replaced after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury, Chelsea had lost three attacking players in the space of 20 minutes.
Trevor Chalobah pulled one back for Chelsea with a header 10 minutes from time but United kept their nerves at bay to make it to the final whistle with their lead intact.
The victory was United’s second of the season and came in front of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who gave head coach Ruben Amorim assurances over his future 48 hours earlier.
It also means Chelsea have still not won at Old Trafford since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson was United manager.
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