Italy and Argentina face each other in their opening game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup at Eden Park on Monday.
ITA-W vs ARG-W Match Details
Date: Monday, 24 July 2023
Time: 11:30 (IST) / 18:00 (NZST)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
ITA-W vs ARG-W Match Preview
Italy are coming off a disappointing European Championship in England where they exited from the group stages. Far worse, they fail to win any of the matches only managing a draw with Iceland and getting thrashed by France 5-1 after a 1-0 loss to Belgium in the opener. After the tournament, manager Milena Bertolini made a decision to add a more youthful look to the squad excluding captain Sara Gama from the 2023 Women’s World Cup roster in a shock move. Gama spent 18 years with the national team yet 16-year-old midfield prodigy Giulia Dragoni gets into the team with just one cap under her belt. It shows where the manager’s trust lies now. Le Azzurre hopes their Women’s World Cup campaign provides a different outcome than last summer having stunned everyone by reaching the quarterfinals in the last edition. Not only that, Italy topped the group including Australia and Brazil beating the former in the opener. Bertolini will hope their unbeaten start to a Women’s World Cup continues when they begin the latest edition against Argentina. With Sweden and South Africa also to play, repeating their feat of 2019 will be difficult but the one they have to take to avoid back-to-back disappointments in two major tournaments.
Argentina will be playing their fourth Women’s World Cup after coming third in the 2022 Copa America Feminina. They came second to eventual winners Brazil in the group stages just three points behind the top spot. Losing narrowly to Colombia in the semis, La Albiceleste made a comeback within the last 20 minutes in the 3-1 win over Paraguay after going behind from an own goal by Romina Nunez to seal qualification. Their fighting spirit was also evident when they earned their first point ever in a Women’s World Cup stage in 2019 with a goalless draw against 2011 winners Japan, lost narrowly to England and drew 3-3 with Scotland with a late spot-kick after doing 3-0 within 70 minutes. It was a magnificent game in the history of the competition. However, Argentina still lacks a win at this stage and wishes their efforts eventually bring one. Another tough group awaits them but the squad contain plenty of promises with key contributors playing in top leagues in Europe, mostly in Spain. The main aim of the South Americans is to fight for the second spot for which their opener against Italy becomes a must-win one. Their unbeaten run of five games could come in handy.
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ITA-W: WDWWL
ARG-W: WWDWW
ITA-W vs ARG-W Predicted Lineups
ITA-W: Laura Giuliani; Elisa Bartoli, Martina Lenzini, Benedetta Orsi, Lisa Boattin; Annamaria Serturini Arianna Caruso, Manuela Giugliano, Emma Severini; Cristiana Girelli, Valentina Giacinti
ARG-W: Vanina Correa; Sophie Braun, Aldana Cometti, Miriam Mayorga, Eliana Stabille; Lorena Benítez, Daiana Falfán, Florencia Bonsegundo; Romina Núñez; Yamila Rodriguez; Estefania Banini
Check out here in details Italy Squad for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and Argentina Squad for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
ITA-W vs ARG-W Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Giuliani (7.5)
DEF: Braun (8.5), Cometti (8), Boattin (8)
MID: Bonsegundo (9), Severini (8.5), Giugliano (8), Y Rodriguez (8.5)
FW: Banini (8.5), Girelli (7.5), Giacinti (7)
Vice-captain: Yamila Rodriguez
Captain: Florencia Bonsegundo
Florencia enjoyed a productive season for her club Madrid CFF contributing to 14 goals in 29 league matches.
Yamila Rodriguez ended as the top scorer in the Copa America last year with six goals.
Cristiana Girelli bagged 13 goals in 16 league matches for Juventus with four goals in six Women’s Champions League matches, including two assists. She scored a hat trick in the last edition of the Women’s World Cup.
