Women’s World Cup: Estefania Banini is about to be one of the stars of the tournament
Argentina came into their first World Cup 2019 game against Japan as massive underdogs, but they left with a point in hand after a gutsy display. At the heart of their strong performance was captain Estefania Banini, who has quickly established herself as one of the breakout stars of the tournament.
The 2019 Women’s World Cup will have a lengthy list of breakout stars, especially from the underdog sides. Jamaica’s 19-year-old goalkeeper Sydney Schneider shined in her country’s first World Cup game against Brazil, and it was Argentina midfielder Estefania Banini’s turn to steal the show on Monday.
Going up against a historically strong side in Japan, Argentina weren’t even expected to emerge from their first Group D game with a point in hand. Instead, they survived 90 minutes of Japan’s possession-based football, defending with heart and determination. Argentina are aiming to shock the footballing world by qualifying for the knockout stages, and since three teams could potentially make it to the next round, this point earned against stalwarts Japan is of high value.
The statement Argentina made by hanging with Japan may mean even more than the point in the standings, too. And while there were a number of quality performances from Argentina, nobody stood out more than their captain.
Banini is familiar to diehard NWSL fans, as she scored seven goals across two stints with the Washington Spirit. The 28-year-old now plays for Levante on loan, but her first World Cup performance will have even more clubs interested.
She dazzled the crowd with her skills, performing turns and nutmegs almost at will. It seemed impossible to take the ball off of Banini, who made several intelligent lay-offs and was a constant threat on the counterattack. Though Banini always looked for a teammate, she shined at her best when creating off the dribble, as she was forced to make things happen on her own against an organized, experienced, and fast Japan defense.
https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1138116617068433419
As exemplified above, Banini’s fast footwork caught the eyes of fans across the world, and she’s already become a tournament favorite. Banini’s most significant impact came with the ball at her feet, but she also showed up on defense for Argentina, partaking in strong team effort in keeping a clean sheet against a World Cup favorite.
It will be exciting to see what Banini does next in this tournament against England and Scotland. While getting a point against England will be a tall task and Scotland looked good in their first ever World Cup outing, Argentina look like a legitimate darkhorse team behind an organized defense and the sheer individual brilliance that Banini brings to the table.
Next. The best managers to never win the Champions League. dark
A two-time Player of the Year in Chile and a former Player of the Month in the NWSL, Banini has always been a quality midfielder. Her creativity and leadership will continue to earn her fans in this World Cup tournament, and she will play a pivotal role as Argentina aim for their strongest performance on the international stage yet. Banini is everything a team dreams of in a No. 10 with her crafty passing and world-class dribbling ability, and hopefully her hard work and skill will be rewarded in the form of goals and assists. Oh, and more points in the table for her country.