South Africa will on Sunday be the third of the four African teams to play their opening match in the on-going Women’s World Cup.
This Group G match represents the first FIFA Women’s World Cup encounter between Sweden and South Africa. Overall, it is their third competitive meeting as they have met twice in the group stage at the Olympics, with Sweden winning both times; 4-1 in 2012 and 1-0 in 2016.
Runners-up in 2003, Sweden’s qualification for Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand 2023 has maintained their record of appearing at every FIFA Women’s World Cup
since the inaugural tournament in 1991.
South Africa will be making their second successive appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup following their debut at France 2019, which ended in the group stage. Confidence within their camp will be at an all-time high after winning the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations – their first-ever continental title – which secured their ticket for the finals in Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand.
Last meeting:
22/01/2019: South Africa 0-0 Sweden, friendly, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town (South Africa)
KEY FACTS
Sweden reached the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the fourth time in 2019 where they were edged out 1-0 after extra time by the Netherlands. They went on to defeat England 2-1 in the match for third place.
The earliest goal in Women’s World Cup history was scored by Sweden’s Lena Videkull after just 30 seconds in their 8-0 victory against Japan in the 1991 group stage. It is a result which remains their biggest win at the finals.
Sweden are unbeaten in their last four FIFA Women’s World Cup matches against African nations (W2 D2).
Caroline Seger is set to make her 18th Women’s World Cup appearance, moving her joint-second on Sweden’s all-time list alongside Therese Sjögran. Only Hedvig Lindahl (20) has made more than 18 appearances for Sweden in the competition.
A 2-1 victory against Morocco in the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final saw South Africa win their first-ever continental title after finishing as runners-up on five previous occasions. Pivotal to their success was goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, who kept three clean sheets in six games and claimed the Best Goalkeeper award at the conclusion of the tournament.
Thembi Kgatlana claimed the honour of scoring South Africa’s first Women’s World Cup goal in a 3-1 defeat against Spain in their opening match at the 2019 finals.
SWEDEN TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: P: 40 W: 23 D: 5 L: 12 F: 71 A: 48 GD: 23
- Biggest win: 8-0 Sweden v. Japan (19/11/1991)
- Biggest defeat: 1-4 Sweden v. Norway (27/11/1991)/1-4 Sweden v. Germany (20/06/2015)
- Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Japan 0-8 Sweden (19/11/1991)
- Most goals scored in a match: 8 – Japan 0-8 Sweden (19/11/1991)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 4 – Sweden 1-4 Norway (27/11/1991)/Germany 4-1 Sweden (20/06/2015)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 18 – 1991 (6 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 2007 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2015 (4 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 4 – 1995 (4 matches)/2007 (3 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 5 (2007-2011)
- Successive defeats: 2 (1999-2003)
- Successive draws: 3 (2015)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 5 (2007-2011)
- Successive matches without a win: 4 (2015)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 14 (1995-2007)
- Successive matches without scoring: 1 (five times)
- Successive clean sheets: 3 (1991)
SOUTH AFRICA TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: P: 3 W: 0 D: 0 L: 3 F: 1 A: 8 GD: -7
- Biggest win: n/a
- Biggest defeat: 0-4 South Africa v. Germany (17/06/2019)
- Highest scoring match: 4 goals – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019)/South Africa 0-4 Germany (17/06/2019)
- Most goals scored in a match: 1 – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 4 – South Africa 0-4 Germany (17/06/2019)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2019 (3 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 0
- Successive defeats: 3 (2019-present)
- Successive draws: 0
- Successive matches without a defeat: 0
- Successive matches without a win: 3 (2019-present)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 1 (2019)
- Successive matches without scoring: 2 (2019-present)
Successive clean sheets: 0
