SPORTS
Slick Spain Beat England to Win women’s World Cup
Spain are the FIFA Women’s World Cup champions after a dominant and deserved 1-0 win over England at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
Captain Olga Carmona emerged as La Roja’s history-making heroine with a superb strike that secured the team’s first major title and completed a unique clean sweep of FIFA crowns at U-17, U-20 and senior level.
Finals are notorious for being tense and cagey affair but this was high-energy, high-quality and end-to-end from the very first whistle.
And while the Spanish created the better chances – and more of them – it was England who registered the first effort of note.
This was when Lauren Hemp crashed a left-foot shot against the bar with a quarter-of-an-hour played.
La Roja always looked dangerous though, particularly in wide areas, and they should have moved in front two minutes later.
This was when Salma Paralluelo raced down the left and curled in the most tantalising of crosses.
Teresa Abelleira seemed certain to convert at the back post but her first-time effort lacked direction and allowed Mary Earps to stick out a hand and divert the ball to safety.
Spain continued to grow in confidence, though, and on 29 minutes they broke the deadlock with a beautifully constructed goal.
Having dispossessed Lucy Bronze as the wing-back charged forward and infield, the Spanish midfield combined intelligently and speedily to work the ball into the space Bronze had vacated.
Mariona Caldentey then maximised the opportunity with a perfectly weighted pass into the feet of Carmona, who obliged with an equally flawless first-time finish, drilled low, hard and just inside Earps’ left-hand post.
The goal was no more than Jorge Vilda’s side deserved, and Paralluelo came within a whisker of doubling their lead.
With the last kick of the half – she clipped the outside of the post with a smart first-time effort.
Sarina Wiegman clearly wasn’t happy with what she was seeing and reacted decisively with a double substitution at the interval, bringing on Lauren James and Chloe Kelly.
The pattern of Spanish dominance was maintained, however, and only a brilliant one-handed save from Earps prevented Caldentey from curling in a second within four minutes of the restart.
The England goalkeeper has been outstanding at the World Cup and again came to the Lionesses’ rescue.
This was after a Keira Walsh handball was penalised with the awarding of a penalty following a VAR review.
Jenni Hermoso struck her left-foot kick firmly enough but Earps was already on the move and, having guessed right, was able to hold the shot and offer Wiegman’s side renewed hope.
In truth, though, the European champions rarely looked like forcing their way back into this final.
Spain remained comfortable and composed throughout the remainder of the match and celebrated wildly at full-time, having emerged as impressive and worthy champions.
The result meant Spain ended their World Cup campaign in Australia and New Zealand, not just as champions but as leading goalscorers, having found the net 18 times.
La Roja also became just the second team to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
This was after suffering a defeat on their way to winning the competition. Japan previously achieved this by triumphing in 2011, having lost 2-0 to England in the group stage.
Having won the FIFA U-17 and U-20 Women’s World Cup last year, Spain have become the first nation to hold all three global titles simultaneously.
Paralluelo who won the youngest player of the tournament award is the first player to win all three of these FIFA competitions. (NAN)
The finals of Gov. Peter Mbah Secondary Schools Games, on Thursday began in Enugu with the arrival and accreditation of athletes at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu.
Dan Onwuegbuna, Director, Information, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Enugu State, said in a statement on Thursday that the games would be held between Aug.
7 and Aug. 10 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and the Enugu State Sports Council.“The games is designed to help the state discover talents to represent the state at the forthcoming U15 National Youth Games scheduled to take place in Asaba, Delta, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 6,” he stated.
Onwuegbuna said that apart from representing the state at the Youth Games in Asaba, talented athletes discovered would represent the state in other competitions.
He quoted the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Lloyd Ekweremadu as thanking Gov. Peter Mbah for approving the games.
Onwuegbuna said that the games was made possible following the collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the state Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
The games finals followed the outcome of the inter- Secondary Schools competitions held at the local government areas in the six Educational Zones in the State – Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Nsukka and Udenu.
“The games will feature athletics, boxing, chess, basketball, volleyball, football, tennis and scrabble,” Onwuegbuna stated.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has been nominated for the 2025 Women’s Yachine Trophy, the Ballon d’Or award for the best female goalkeeper.
The 24-year-old recently joined Brighton Women FC from Paris FC after helping the French side win their first major title in nearly two decades.
Nnadozie delivered a heroic performance in the final of the 2025 Coupe de France Féminine, where Paris FC edged Paris Saint-Germain 5-4 on penalties following a goalless draw at Stade de l’Épopée in Calais.She was also instrumental in Nigeria’s success at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where the Super Falcons secured a record-extending 10th continental crown against host nation, Morocco.
Her standout displays earned her the Best Goalkeeper award and a place in the Team of the Tournament.
Other nominees for the Yachine Trophy include Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Barcelona Femeni), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea Women) and Daphne van Domselaar (Arsenal Women).
Nigeria’s Super Falcons maintained 36th position in the latest FIFA women’s world ranking.
The latest ranking was released on FIFA’s official website yesterday.
While the Super Falcons remain the number one team in Africa, WAFCON 2024 runners-up Morocco are third on the continent and dropped to 64th spot in the world.
Former WAFCON champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa maintained 54th place in the world and second in Africa.
Ghana’s Black Queens who claimed third place at the WAFCON dropped to 67th position in the global ranking.
The Super Falcons recently won their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after coming from 2-0 down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final.
Second half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi and substitute Jennifer Echegini completed the turnaround.
Okoronkwo, scored a goal and provided two assists against the Moroccans was Named Player of the Match.
Chiamaka Nnadozie was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament while Captain Rasheedat Ajibade won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Meanwhile, World champions Spain (1st, up 1) had an impressive run to the final of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with five back-to-back wins, which was enough to see them reclaim top spot in the ranking, a position they previously held from December 2023 to June 2024.
The USA (2nd, down 1) have therefore been knocked off their perch, which they had occupied since August 2024.
However, three convincing home wins in friendlies during this period have kept the USA in contention, and they are now sitting less than two points behind Spain.
The top 10 has been shaken up completely since the June edition of the ranking, with France (6th, up 4) performing best among them.
France completed a flawless group stage at the European Championship before falling to Germany in the quarter-finals.
The next edition of the Women’s World Ranking will be published on 11 December 2025.
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