Latest news with #Women'sWorldCup
Nahar Net
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Nahar Net
Host Morocco reaches WAFCON final after shootout with Ghana
by Naharnet Newsdesk 23 July 2025, 16:13 Goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi blocked Comfort Yeboah's attempt and host Morocco advanced to the championship of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw with Ghana on Tuesday. Morocco, which prevailed 4-2 on penalties, will face Nigeria in the final Saturday. The Super Falcons defeated defending champions South Africa 2-1 in the earlier semifinal Tuesday in Casablanca. Ghana took a first-half lead. Er-Rmichi got a hand on Josephine Bonsu's header but it bounced off the post and skittered across the goal for Stella Nyamekye to push it into the net in the 26th minute. Morocco equalized in the 55th when Sakina Ouzraoui bounced a pass from her chest to her feet and scored from underneath diving Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan. Scoreless for the rest of regulation, the match went to extra time at Rabat's Olympic Stadium. Morocco has seen its national team rise in recent years. The team reached the WAFCON final in 2022 but fell to South Africa. Morocco also went to the Women's World Cup for the first time in 2023 and advanced to the round of 16. Morocco advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Mali, while Ghana downed Algeria 4-2 on penalties after a scoreless draw.
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
WAFCON 2024 semifinals: Nigeria knocks South Africa out; Morocco joins Super Falcons with win on penalties
Michelle Alozie's long ball bounced into the goal in stoppage time to give Nigeria a 2-1 victory over South Africa on Tuesday and send the Super Falcons into the final at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Falcons have won nine WAFCON titles. Disappointed by their fourth-place finish in the 2022 tournament, they dubbed their goal to win this event as 'Mission X.' Alozie, who plays in the National Women's Soccer League for the Houston Dash, sent the ball forward from distance four minutes into stoppage time. Although two teammates were in front of South Africa's net, neither of them touched the ball as it bounced into the goal. Rasheedat Ajibade, who plays for Atlético Madrid, converted a penalty just before half-time to put Nigeria ahead 1-0. The Super Falcons were awarded the penalty because of a handball in the box. South Africa, the defending WAFCON champion, pulled even on Linda Motlhalo's penalty in the 60th minute. Nigeria, which had not previously conceded a goal in the tournament, routed Zambia 5-0 in the quarterfinals to advance. South Africa, led by coach Desiree Ellis, advanced on penalties after a scoreless draw with Senegal. There was a scary moment in the 84th minute when South Africa midfielder Gabriela Salgado went down with an injury and players from both teams frantically gestured for help. Salgado was stretchered off with her left leg heavily wrapped as her teammates sobbed. The crowd at Stade Larbi Zaouli chanted her name. Morocco sets final with Nigeria Goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi blocked Comfort Yeboah's attempt as host Morocco advanced to the championship of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw with Ghana on Tuesday. Ghana took a first-half lead. Er-Rmichi got a hand on Josephine Bonsu's header, but it bounced off the post and skittered across the goal for Stella Nyamekye to push it into the net in the 26th minute. Morocco equalised in the 55th when Sakina Ouzraoui bounced a pass from her chest to her feet and scored from underneath diving Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan. ALSO READ: Why is CAF investigating Algeria at WAFCON 2024? Scoreless for the rest of regulation, the match went to extra time at Rabat's Olympic Stadium. Morocco has seen its national team rise in recent years. The team reached the WAFCON final in 2022 but fell to South Africa. Morocco also went to the Women's World Cup for the first time in 2023 and advanced to the round of 16. Morocco advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Mali, while Ghana downed Algeria 4-2 on penalties after a scoreless draw.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy hold higher-ranked Chinese GMs in semifinal Game 1
Divya Deshmukh (left) and Koneru Humpy (Image Courtesy | FIDE - Anna Shtourman, Andrei Anosov) Indian players' preparation prevailed over Chinese players' aggression in the opening classical games of the FIDE Women's World Cup semifinals. World junior champion Divya Deshmukh and India No. 1 Koneru Humpy defended well with black pieces to hold higher-ranked Chinese Grandmasters in Batumi, Georgia, on Tuesday. Divya held former women's world champion Tan Zhongyi in 30 moves, and Humpy help top seed Lei Tingjie to a 38-move draw in an entertaining contest. On Wednesday, both the first time Indian semifinalists of the knockout format World Cup will start with white pieces in the second classical. Both Humpy and Divya will look to take advantage of their openings and put pressure on China's third and fifth-ranked players. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! On Tuesday, Divya was the first to finish her game against three-time World Cup semifinalist Zhongyi. Tan chose the Queen's Pawn opening, and Divya responded in a similar fashion. The Queen's Gambit Declined set up on the board saw a balanced position with both the in-form Indian and Chinese players exchanging their minor pieces by the 11th move. Divya's first notable move came on the 12th turn when she advanced her queen for a check and followed it up by winning Tan's bishop. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo The 13th move that Divya played denied Tan any advantage from her opening. On the 17th turn, both exchanged their queens, and the game became equal with both the rooks and Divya's knight against Tan's bishop. Poll Who do you think has the best chance to win the FIDE Women's World Cup? Divya Deshmukh Koneru Humpy Tan Zhongyi Lei Tingjie After they sacrificed one of their rooks on the 24th move, Divya again stopped Tan from laying any trap. In the next move, Divya made another notable move when she brought her remaining rook into the attacking line and forced Tan to take a defensive route. After trading their pawns, both agreed to split the point in the 30th move, Divya displaying her fantastic preparations with black pieces. In the second semifinal, things were heating up between Humpy and Tingjie. In the Ruy Lopez Opening of Berlin and uncommon Mortimer Variation, Humpy played to a plan by managing the clock beautifully well, which finally forced Tingjie to go on the defensive. On the 17th turn, Humpy played a dubious move with her knight, and a confused-looking Tingjie made an 18th move blunder with her bishop. When Humpy advanced one of her pawns, Tingjie again played a dubious knight move on the 21st turn, placing it in the wrong square, rather laying an attack. With Humpy's bishop and queen lined up to take the next attack, the experienced Indian GM made another notable move on the 29th turn, and Tingjie, under time trouble, became defensive. For the first time in the contest, Humpy had four extra minutes to make her moves. After exchanging their queens on the 36th turn, the position became balanced with both having opposite-coloured bishops, and eventually, the game ended in a draw in the 38th move. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Kuwait Times
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Del Castillo and Spain ‘full of hope' ahead of Euro 2025 semi
LAUSANNE: From being a bit-part player in the team that won the Women's World Cup two years ago, Athenea del Castillo has performed a key role in Spain's run to the semi-finals of Euro 2025, in which they will face Germany on Wednesday. The Real Madrid attacker, 24, was brought into Spain's starting line-up for their last group game against Italy and scored an early equalizer before her team went on to win 3-1. She was then relegated back to the bench for the last-eight tie against hosts Switzerland in Bern but the game changed after her introduction as a substitute just past the hour mark. Del Castillo replaced Mariona Caldentey and broke the deadlock four minutes later, setting Spain up for a 2-0 victory - and surely giving coach Montse Tome a selection headache for the clash with Germany in Zurich. 'I have to just focus on the things that I can influence. Luckily I am managing to help the team whatever my role is, whether I am starting or not,' Del Castillo told AFP at the Spanish team's base in Lausanne. A win for Spain against Germany will keep them on track to add a first ever European crown to the World Cup they won in 2023, when they defeated England in the final. 'We are full of hope, we are so excited. We dream of being European champions but to do that we need to win on Wednesday so all our energy is going into that game,' Del Castillo said. 'We know all about the potential in the Germany team. They are a great side who have been European champions eight times after all.' Spain still lean heavily on the players who won them the World Cup, notably Ballon d'Or Aitana Bonmati as well as her fellow Barcelona stars Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes. But Del Castillo, while not yet a guaranteed starter, has become a more important player than during that tournament in Australia and New Zealand. Then, under previous coach Jorge Vilda, she started the team's first match before gradually disappearing from circulation. She then featured in the side that participated in the 2024 Olympics and lost to Germany in the bronze medal match - a defeat they will seek to avenge on Wednesday. Infectious 'We have been through so much together and that has helped us mature as a team,' she said on the margins of a training session by Lake Geneva. 'I still see myself as one of the youngsters even though there are players much younger than me like Vicky (Lopez) and Maite (Zubieta), and then there are older players like Irene and Alexia who have been around longer and been to so many more tournaments. We have that mix of youth and experience, of joy but also maturity.' Del Castillo is known for her glowing smile and infectious personality, and she has no intention of changing even as she becomes more and more recognizable thanks to her exploits with Spain and Real. 'I have not changed much. I still do the same things, I still try to enjoy life and luckily everything is going well at home, with my family and friends,' said the native of Cantabria in northern Spain. 'I am very happy in Madrid -- I prefer the north but I like Madrid as a city. I love to go out for a wander, listen to music, be with my family. If I changed what I did off the pitch that would also change me on it and I don't like that because then I would lose my essence.' Despite still being at a relatively tender age, the player who idolized Cristiano Ronaldo growing up now has over 60 caps and is conscious of being a leader in the Spain squad. 'I know how to differentiate between moments when you have to work and times when you can give a little bit of joy,' she said, before suggesting that the side has improved since losing to Germany at last year's Olympics. 'I think we have matured a lot since then. We are better at controlling games in different moments now. I think that will help us, but it will above all be about staying calm and focusing on our objective.' – AFP
Winnipeg Free Press
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Host Morocco reaches final of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations after penalty shootout with Ghana
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi blocked Comfort Yeboah's attempt and host Morocco advanced to the championship of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw with Ghana on Tuesday. Morocco, which prevailed 4-2 on penalties, will face Nigeria in the final Saturday. The Super Falcons defeated defending champions South Africa 2-1 in the earlier semifinal Tuesday in Casablanca. Ghana took a first-half lead. Er-Rmichi got a hand on Josephine Bonsu's header but it bounced off the post and skittered across the goal for Stella Nyamekye to push it into the net in the 26th minute. Morocco equalized in the 55th when Sakina Ouzraoui bounced a pass from her chest to her feet and scored from underneath diving Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan. Scoreless for the rest of regulation, the match went to extra time at Rabat's Olympic Stadium. Morocco has seen its national team rise in recent years. The team reached the WAFCON final in 2022 but fell to South Africa. Morocco also went to the Women's World Cup for the first time in 2023 and advanced to the round of 16. Morocco advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Mali, while Ghana downed Algeria 4-2 on penalties after a scoreless draw. ___ AP soccer:
