FIFA Women’s World Cup – The pros and cons of each African team

All African groups will head into the Women’s World Cup as underdogs, however Nigeria have twice made the knockout rounds and will probably be out to show they’re nonetheless Africa’s dominant power.

The match in Australia and New Zealand (July 20 – August 20) will see 4 African representatives out of 32 collaborating groups, with Morocco and Zambia making their debuts, whereas Nigeria will probably be showing for the ninth time and South Africa their second.

South Africa

Pros: South Africa have momentum behind them as African champions, having received the newest Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Many of their gamers have important abroad expertise, which they’ll lean on throughout essential Group G battles.

Refiloe Jane has performed in Italy since 2019 (beforehand for AC Milan and presently Sassuolo) and will due to this fact be capable to move on perception in regards to the Italian nationwide team, which is able to probably largely consist of her acquainted mates and adversaries at membership degree.

Likewise, Linda Motlhalo has expertise enjoying in Sweden, who Banyana Banyana may even face, though they are going to probably pull on loads of international-primarily based expertise.

In 2019, South Africa had been new to life on the FIFA Women’s World Cup. This time, they’re extra skilled and coach Desiree Ellis has had greater than sufficient time to go away her mark on the team, having been appointed as interim supervisor in 2016 and head coach in 2018.

Cons: South Africa solely has a semi-skilled ladies’s league, which is dominated by Mamelodi Sundowns. There is loads of expertise within the nation, however a scarcity of improvement buildings to nurture it.

Star striker Thembi Kgatlana (Racing Louisville FC) stated in a current interview with ESPN that South Africa’s lack of a technical centre, along with the absence of knowledgeable ladies’s league, might price them their place on high of Africa.

There has additionally been discontent throughout the squad, as they boycotted a pleasant in opposition to Botswana on July 2, claiming mistreatment from the South African Football Association (SAFA).

The gamers had been reportedly sad with the standard of the sector on which they had been requested to play, in addition to the power of their heat-up opponents. Furthermore, they had been sad with SAFA’s unwillingness to vow them a considerably elevated monetary package deal.

The affiliation’s obvious hesitance to reward their gamers comes regardless of FIFA paying $30,000 per participant minimal in prize cash, leaving Sundowns proprietor Patrice Motsepe to step in and fund the shortfall.

On the sector, Banyana have loads of tremendously skillful gamers, however a scarcity of out-and-out deadly finishers. There will probably be strain on Kgatlana to seek out the again of the online.

They stand an opportunity in opposition to Argentina, however ending above each La Albiceleste and at the least one of Sweden or Italy is a tricky ask, and a high two end within the group is required in an effort to qualify for the subsequent spherical.

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Rosella Ayane: Morocco heading in the right direction forward of World Cup

Rosella Ayane believes new funding in Morocco’s ladies’s soccer will assist them compete with England within the close to future.

Morocco

Pros: Moroccan ladies’s soccer has risen quickly in recent times, with ahead Rosella Ayane (Tottenham Hotspur) the star abroad-primarily based addition to a squad with a strong core of native gamers.

Morocco have sought to develop expertise domestically, with their federation asserting the creation of knowledgeable ladies’s league with two tiers in 2020.

Last yr, the outcomes of years of planning had been on full show. Not solely did Morocco make the ultimate of the WAFCON of their first look since 2000 and their first foray ever past the group stage, however in addition they claimed membership continental honours.

ASFAR dominated defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns 4-0 within the closing, avenging Banyana Banyana’s WAFCON closing triumph at Morocco’s expense.

Furthermore, Morocco have been positioned in a manageable group. South Korea and Colombia have by no means made it past a World Cup spherical of 16, whereas even favourites Germany are long gone their golden period.

Cons: In a phrase, inexperience. Morocco wouldn’t have the identical degree of muscle reminiscence from excessive strain situations as their African counterparts, serial winners Nigeria or present WAFCON queens South Africa.

This is their first look at a Women’s World Cup and they had been nicely under par within the early minutes of the WAFCON closing, which suggests that there’s nonetheless work to be achieved on their large recreation administration.

England-born Ayane apart, in addition they wouldn’t have abroad-primarily based gamers who’re each skilled and enjoying on the highest degree.

The foundations are in place for Moroccan ladies’s soccer to construct an id from grassroots as much as the Atlas Lionesses. For now, this team is a piece in progress – a mere glimpse of what could possibly be to return from African ladies’s soccer’s subsequent potential superpower.

Nigeria

Pros: Nigeria not solely have essentially the most skilled squad in aggressive conditions such because the World Cup, however in addition they have extra depth than their rivals.

On paper, in addition they have essentially the most steadiness of their ranks, with high quality tried-and-examined gamers in each place. Notably, they’ve Paris FC’s Chiamaka Nnadozie in objective, Houston Dash’s versatile Michelle Alozie and Deportivo Alavés’ Osinachi Ohale in defence, Sevilla’s Toni Payne on the flanks, Rosengård’s Halimatu Ayinde in midfield and star striker Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona).

Cons: Coach Randy Waldrum has given himself a tricky activity as he appears to be like to maintain morale within the squad excessive, regardless of making a variety selection which didn’t go down nicely inside Nigeria – excluding veteran Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene from his World Cup squad.

The Levante Las Planas midfielder didn’t see a major quantity of membership motion in 2022/23, showing 10 occasions within the Primera Iberdrola and racking up a complete of 338 league minutes. However, she was one of their extra spectacular gamers on the WAFCON, the place Nigeria completed a disappointing fourth, and is vastly in style within the nation.

Additionally, the connection between the Super Falcons gamers and their nationwide federation has been tense at finest for a while, with common protests from gamers pertaining to alleged financial mistreatment.

Australia, the Republic of Ireland and Canada will all probably show troublesome to beat in Group B, one of the hardest within the match.

Zambia

Pros: Shanghai Shengli’s Barbra Banda is eligible for the World Cup after being controversially denied the possibility to play within the WAFCON because of excessive testosterone ranges.

Furthermore, she is not the one star within the constructing. Racheal Kundananji’s 25 targets within the 2022/23 Primera Iberdrola season for Madrid CFF left her because the league’s second-highest scorer and so Zambia’s already spectacular ahead line is trying even stronger than on the Olympics, the place Banda introduced herself to the world.

Kundananji’s Madrid teammate, Grace Chanda, additionally held her personal within the 2022/23 season from midfield. With Chanda 26 years of age and Banda and Kundananji each 23, all three gamers are probably solely simply getting into their prime.

Offensively, Zambia have the instruments to go toe-to-toe with anybody they arrive throughout. Kundananji and Chanda’s data of Spanish high-flight soccer is prone to come in useful when Zambia face Spain.

Cons: The Copper Queens have been handed a tricky attract Group C alongside Spain, Costa Rica and Japan.

Zambia’s defensive frailties had been uncovered severely on the Tokyo Olympics, the place they conceded 15 targets in three video games, delivery double digits in opposition to the Netherlands in a ten-3 defeat by which Banda scored a hat-trick.

By qualifying for each the Olympics and the World Cup, this technology of Copper Queens stars proved that they’re removed from a one-hit surprise, however they nonetheless lack the expertise of Nigeria and their Group C opponents.

Verdict: On paper, Nigeria’s squad remains to be the most effective in Africa, however in actuality, the temper of their camp units them a number of steps again. South Africa have joined the discontent occasion too, which might scupper their possibilities.

Morocco has unity and momentum behind them, and as a result of Atlas Lionesses having a extra beneficial draw, they’re the most definitely of the 4 competing African sides to emulate their males’s team and carry the flag for Africa at this World Cup.