There will be much at stake in the Women’s World Cup Group G match between Argentina and South Africa after their losses to Italy and Sweden respectively. While Argentina battled with the sixteenth-best women’s team in the world for eighty-six minutes and conceded a looping header just after, Bayana Bayana could not but watch helplessly as Sweden took the game to them even when they scored first at Wellington Regional Stadium.
Argentina will no doubt feel hard done by after towering striker Cristiana Girelli’s header caught out Vanina Noemi Correa who had been superb all evening, having saved all Italy’s shots on target. Argentina was equal to the task against the Italians, almost squaring up to them in possession and gaining some ground through luck. They also hit three shots on target, showing their own quality and giving them a form of confidence going into their next game.
South Africa, on the other hand, started strongly against the third-best women’s team in the world. Their aggressiveness was rewarded just after half time, where Hilda Magaia scored to give the nation hopes of winning their first ever match, only for Sweden to strike in the sixty-fifth minute through Fridolina Rolfo and, agonizingly, in the ninetieth minute to pick up the win and set themselves in a good place for the competition. Unsurprisingly, the South Africans conceded possession to the better team, opting to sit back, absorb pressure, and hit their opponents on the counter. While this worked well in the first half, it became too much for the team after their goal, and they will surely be looking into what went wrong and how they can get better in the next matches.
Both sides will be looking for their first-ever World Cup victory at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in New Zealand, and there is much anticipation for which side will get theirs first. While Argentina has failed to win in ten tries, losing eight times and drawing two, Bayana Bayana has also failed to win in four, making a win all the more important to both teams. South Africa is certainly no pushovers, having shown steel against the third-best team in the world. Argentina will also know this and will need to be wary of the confidence of the South Africans.
If you are looking to watch a high-stakes match, this is the perfect one for you. You will get an opportunity to see the efforts of female football players who want it more than the others. If you are a female out there looking to delve into the world of sports through your passion for the game of soccer or your love for competition, this is the best thing out there for you, courtesy of the Slay-Ballers Campaign.
Photo Credit : Fifa Media