Match report as Jamaica go through to the last 16 of the Women's World Cup for the first time; Brazil are knocked out in the group stages for the first time in 28 years
Thursday 3 August 2023 07:44, UK
A courageous Jamaica held Brazil to a 0-0 draw to reach the knockout stage for the first time in only their second Women's World Cup while condemning the South Americans to their earliest exit since 1995.
Needing a point to go through, the Reggae Girlz barely threatened to score but were tight in defence, repelling wave after wave of Brazilian attacks in a frenetic atmosphere at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
At the final whistle, the overwhelmed Jamaicans slumped to their knees and roared in joy before forming a circle to dance and sway to the Bob Marley song "One Love".
Having lost all their matches in France four years ago, the Jamaicans have come a long way in a short time.
They held France 0-0 and beat Panama 1-0, finishing second in Group F behind the French while advancing courtesy of a single goal.
"I feel like we've been hugely underestimated," said goalkeeper Becky Spencer, who won the player of the match award after her third clean sheet of the tournament.
"I don't think anyone took us seriously. We're resilient and we had a point to prove."
Brazil, who needed three points, were left to lament a slew of missed chances in a dismal end to Marta's sixth and final World Cup.
Brazil coach Pia Sundhage started Marta on the field for the first time in her sixth and final World Cup but the iconic forward bowed out in disappointment, coming off in the 80th minute.
Her touch was missing early. She fired a shot into a defender in the fourth minute and then wasted another chance seven minutes later with a heavy touch, leaving an unmarked Ary Borges fuming at the far post.
Running towards goal, Borges finally had her chance when Luana found her with a cross but the playmaker steered her header well wide in the 24th minute.
Borges then set Tamires up with a delightful cross into the inside-left channel late in the half but she thumped a volley straight at goalkeeper Spencer.
Jamaica rode their luck to half-time and Brazil's desperation grew after the break as their attacks came to nothing.
Jamaicans hearts were in mouths in the 79th minute when defender Allyson Swaby nearly put the ball into her own net with a terrible attempted clearance that forced Spencer into a fine save at the far post.
In search of a goal, the Brazilians exposed themselves to the counter-attack and Khadija Shaw all but made them pay.
Needing only the 'keeper to beat, she blazed just over the bar in the 82nd minute.
Brazil legend Marta was pictured looking stony-faced and shell-shocked at full-time in what is expected to be her final game at a World Cup.
No player has scored more goals at the tournament - men or women's - than the Brazil forward (17), with Australia and New Zealand her fifth edition.
However, it was not the way she would have wanted to depart a stage that she has made her own, but she said Brazilian football does not end with her World Cup retirement.
"A lot happened and there was that feeling that the World Cup was really ending there for me and that it was my last," she said.
"But then I would look to the side and see Laurinha, Bruninha, the youngest girls on our team, crying and sad.
"And that's when I had to stop thinking about Marta and try to help them understand the moment. Especially because their first World Cup is just the beginning and I won't be playing in another. But they will have other opportunities, no doubt.
"But life goes. Women's soccer doesn't end here. Brazilian women's soccer doesn't end here. We need to understand that.
"For these girls, we need to continue encouraging them. And that's going to be, of course, a very strong thump, because we're leaving a World Cup at a very early moment, which I don't remember happening before.
"It can shake your logic and we need to be on their side, encouraging them, showing that they need to keep their heads up, move on, because the work is just beginning and they have a lot, a lot ahead of them. It's a very long journey. "
Sundhage added on Marta's future: "With her, I don't know. I think she will continue to play because she loves the game. Whether she's good enough to be called up to the national team, let's see."
Sky Sports' Charlotte Marsh:
"It's hard to sum up just how huge this result is for Jamaica. It's a watershed moment and an immense achievement for a group of talented, spirited players.
"They proved themselves worthy of their place in the last 16 when they held France to a goalless draw in their opening game, before beating Panama.
"Similarly to the match against Les Bleues, Jamaica defended resolutely again when facing Brazil, taking another point off a 'big' team, as well as knocking them out in the process.
"Jamaica held their own against two of the group favourites and they have the heart and determination to give them confidence heading into their first World Cup knockout stages.
"It is even more impressive given their off-field issues heading into the World Cup. Havana Solaun's mother set up a GoFundMe page to help Jamaica simply get to the tournament. The players have described the support from the Jamaican Football Federation as "sub-par" heading into the World Cup.
"Bob Marley's daughter, Cedella, is also a long-time supporter and financial contributor to help the Reggae Girlz succeed on the international stage. It should be a highly-unusual practice to have private support for a national team, but it is simply indicative of the struggles women's football continues to face.
"There has been tragedy too. Jedine Carr was killed in a shooting as she made her way to training just days before Jamaica qualified for the World Cup. Shaw proudly displayed a shirt with Carr's name on it after they beat Haiti to reach their second successive edition of the tournament.
"Having faced adversity time and again, it was joyous to see their post-match celebrations. Here is hoping more success follows for this group of players."
Jamaica will now play the winner of Group H on Tuesday August 8. This will be decided on Thursday, with South Korea vs Colombia and Morocco vs Germany.
Colombia currently top Group H, three points clear of Germany in second and Morocco in third. But any of those three teams could still end up facing Jamaica depending on Thursday's results.
The group stage has begun and runs over a two-week period finishing on August 3. Group winners and runners-up progress to the round of 16, which takes place from August 5 to August 8.
The quarter-finals, which will be held in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney, are scheduled for August 11 and 12.
The first semi-final will then be played on August 15 in Auckland, with the other semi-final taking place on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, which will then host the final on August 20.
A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.
