(By Marina Butrón, special envoy) – The Argentine women’s team will make its presentation at the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this Monday against Italy, starting at 3:00 Argentine time, in the New Zealand city of Auckland.
Argentina and Italy will face each other in Group G, which also includes Sweden and South Africa, at the Eden Park stadium in Auckland, starting at 3:00 on Monday (6:00 p.m. local time), with arbitration by Honduran Melissa Borjas and broadcast by Public TV and DSports.
In their fourth participation in the World Cups, after the 2003, 2007 and 2019 editions, the women’s team -currently number 28 in the FIFA ranking- will seek to make history and achieve their first victory in a World Cup.
Italy, 16th in the world and first rival, arrives as second favorite in the Group behind the Swedes, number 3 in the FIFA ranking and third in the last World Cup in France 2019.
Constantly growing and in their first tournament since Serie A became professional, the Italians – who reached the quarterfinals four years ago after two decades of absence from the World Cups – will try to show their power from the first meeting with several Juventus figures such as captain Cristiana Girelli, Valentina Cernoia, Arianna Caruso and Barbara Bonansea.
Argentina wants to be competitive. With Germán Portanova as coach, in his first World Cup since in the previous three the coach of the women’s team was Carlos Borrello, the team -a mix of experienced soccer players and others who are about to debut in a World Cup- arrives with another imprint when compared to France 2019.
Third in the last Copa América, where he got a direct berth for Australia and New Zealand 2023, Portanova has been doing serious work and is constantly growing. Bet to be more protagonists and not withdraw so much. The Selection took advantage of all the FIFA windows to win international contact.
After the 2022 Copa América in July in Colombia, the selected team faced Canada (0-2) and Poland (2-2) at home in October; to Spain as a visitor (7-0 defeat); to Chile (4-0) and New Zealand (victories of 2-0 and 1-0) in February in the oceanic country; and Venezuela in Argentina (1-1 and 3-0) in April. In the last friendly preparation before traveling to Auckland, in San Nicolás, the National Team thrashed Peru 4-0.
Installed in Ellerslie since July 17 and with the support of that community and the Argentines who live in New Zealand, the squad worked on the details in this last stage to play Italy, a team led by Milena Bertolini for the second consecutive World Cup edition.
In Argentina, the goalkeeper Vanina Correa is the most experienced and the only one who was in the three previous editions. From France 2019, when the team achieved its first points in World Cup history by drawing with Japan (0-0) and Scotland (3-3), the squad repeats Correa, Florencia Bonsegundo, Estefanía Banini, Aldana Cometti, Adriana Sachs, Eliana Stabile, Vanesa Santana, Dalila Ipolitto, Gabriela Chávez, Lorena Benítez, Mariana Larroquette and Miriam Mayorga.
For Lara Esponda (the youngest at 17), Julieta Cruz, Abigail Cháves, Daiana Falfán, Chiara Singarella, Camila Gómez Ares, Yamila Rodríguez, Paulina Gramaglia, Érica Lonigro, Sophie Braun and Romina Núñez it will be the first World Cup.
Laurina Oliveros, the Boca goalkeeper who was left out of the list of 23 due to a hand injury, is accompanying the team in the concentration.
Probable formations:
Argentina: Vanina Correa; Sophie Braun, Miriam Mayorga, Aldana Cometti, Eliana Stábile; Lorena Benitez, Daiana Falfan; Romina Núñez, Estefanía Banini, Florencia Bonsegundo; Mariana Larroquette. DT: German Portanova.
Italy: Rachele Baldi; Elisa Bartoli, Martina Lenzini, Beatrice Merlo, Cecilia Salvai; Guilia Dragoni, Valentina Cernoia, Arianna Caruso; Barbara Bonasea, Benedetta Glionna and Cristiana Girelli. DT: Milena Bertolini.
Stadium: Auckland Eden Park.
Referee: Melissa Borjas (Honduras).
Time: 3:00 a.m.
TV: Public TV and DSports.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
