ICIR
THE three African sides – South Africa, Nigeria and Morroco – that qualified from the group stage of the ongoing FIFA women’s world cup to the last 16 fixtures have been knocked out of the tournament.
The ICIR reported after the conclusion of the group stage that 75 per cent of African countries progressed to the next round after amassing the required points to qualify from their groups.
The African representatives that qualified for the last 16 fixtures were Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco, making history as the first time 3 African sides would qualify for the round of 16.
However, after playing against their respective opponents in the knockout stage, the three of them failed to progress to the quarter-finals.
Results of the round of 16 fixtures saw South Africa lose 0-2 to the Netherlands, Nigeria crashed out after a penalty shootout, 2-4 against England while France eased past Morocco, 4-0.
The walloping defeats to the African sides reduced the percentage from 75 per cent in round 16 to zero per cent in round 8.
Nigeria is the only African country that has reached the quarter-finals.
The ICIR analysed the performances of the four African sides that featured at the 2023 FIFA Women’s world cup.
Out of the four matches that Nigeria played, it won only one and drew three others while Morocco lost two and won two.
South Africa won one, drew one and lost two while Zambia lost two and won one. The four African sides had a total of 14 goals and conceded 29 goals in the tournament.
Also, the African sides recorded 5 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses.
Out of the four African sides, Nigeria recorded 3 goals, and conceded 2, leaving it with a goal difference in all the four matches it played, while Morocco scored only 2 goals and conceded 8 goals, leaving the tournament with minus 6 goals difference.
