IFFHS DAILY NEWS - FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP 2023 - DAY 4
Picture : Linda Motlhalo (10) and South Africa were near an exploit against Filippa Angeldal (16) and Sweden !
IFFHS DAILY NEWS – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2023
DAY 4
12 - SWEDEN – SOUTH AFRICA 2-1 (GROUP G)
Sky Stadium, Wellington. 18 317 spectators. Half time : 0-0 Referee : Ekaterina Koroleva (USA). Goals for South Africa : Hildah Magaia (48’). For Sweden : Fridolina Rölfo (65’), Amanda Illestedt (90’).
FACTS AND STATS
- Amanda Illestedt broke South African hearts in the last minute of the game to secure Sweden the victory. She was not able to play before two days due to an injury, but she saved Sweden, third of the World Cup 2019, from a draw.
- Sweden had never lost against African teams. It is already the third success , with two draws in 5 games.
- Caroline Seger became today the first player in the Football History in Sweden to be present at 5 World Cups ! It was her 271th international cap !
- South Africa, winner of the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 2022, began their second World Cup today. After 3 defeats in 2019, the teammates of Thambi Kgatlana, the first goalscorer in World Cup History for South Africa, were very near a great exploit today !
- The quickest goal in the History of he World Cup was scored by a player of Sweden, Lena Videkull in 1991 after 30 seconds of the game against Japan.
10 - NETHERLANDS – PORTUGAL 1-0 (GROUP E)
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin. 11 991 spectators. Half time : 1-0. Referee : Kateryna Monzul (Ukraine). Goal for Netherlands : Stephanie Van der Gragt (13’).
FACTS AND STATS
- Netherlands participates at their third World Cup and registers the third opening success with the same result 1-0 after 2015 and 2019.
- Stephanie Van der Gragt, the Goal scorer of the day, Lieke Martens, Sherida Spitse the captain with 216 international caps, Danielle Van de Donk and Dominique Janssen participated at all the 3 opening victories (2015, 2019, 2023).
- Portugal made today their debut in World Cup, they qualified after the win over Cameroon in the inter confederation play off.
- Portugal lost 8 of the 9 games against Netherlands, six in a row. Ana Borges, Portugal’s captain with 157 caps, and her teammates progressed in the last years, with a 0-0 contra England in preparation !
- Netherlands won the Euro 2017 and finished second at the World Cup 2019. The Dutch team must compose this year without Vivianne Miedema, the Goalscorer with ACL injury !
11 - FRANCE – JAMAICA 0-0 (GROUP F)
Sydney Football Stadium. 39 045 spectators. Half time : 0-0. Referee : Maria Belen Carvajal Pena (Chile). Red card : Kadisha Shaw (Jamaica, 90’+2).
FACTS AND STATS
- Jamaica created a piece of history, clinching their first point in the FIFA World Cup (3 defeats in 2019) ! And it was well deserved !
- It was the first game in the History between the two teams in World Cup.
- France was very poor in the offensive, knowing that the two best strikers Delphine Cascarino and Marie Antoinette Katoto are at home with ACL injuries. And the best Goal provider Selma Bacha was injured one week ago against Australia.
- Cheyna Matthews, Jamaica’s striker, is mother of 3 children ! At 29, she plays in Chicago (NWSL) and plays her second World Cup after 2019 with Jamaica. An example !
- Wendie Renard, France’s captain, wrote already History. At 33, she has already won 8 UEFA Champions League, 16 Ligue 1 titles, 10 French Cups, earned 145 international caps with 34 goals. She began today her 4th FIFA World Cup, record in France.