Unprecedented Upset: Jamaica Stuns Brazil as Women's World Cup Takes an Unexpected Turn
Jamaica's historic 0-0 draw against Brazil secures their first-ever Women's World Cup last 16 spot, while Brazil suffers their earliest exit since 1995 A remarkable achievement for Jamaica, paving the way for an exciting journey forward #WomenWC
In their second Women's World Cup appearance, Jamaica displayed courage by holding Brazil to a goalless draw. This commendable result enabled them to advance to the knockout stage for the first time ever. On the other hand, Brazil experienced their earliest elimination since 1995 as they failed to secure a victory. Despite the Reggae Girlz posing minimal threat in terms of scoring, their solid defensive performance successfully thwarted numerous Brazilian attacks throughout the intense match at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
After the game ended, the Jamaican players, filled with overwhelming joy, collapsed to their knees and let out a resounding roar. They proceeded to gather in a circle, where they danced and swayed to the captivating melody of Bob Marley's iconic track, "One Love."
Following their disappointing performance in France four years ago, where they suffered defeat in all their matches, the journey of the Jamaican team has been nothing short of remarkable. In a remarkably short span of time, they managed to hold France to a goalless draw and secure a 1-0 victory over Panama in their Group F matches.
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Marta, an icon of Brazil, has played her final game for her country, announcing her retirement after the conclusion of the World Cup. It was a challenging evening for Brazil, as their coach, Pia Sundhage, chose to include Marta in the starting lineup for the first time in her sixth and last World Cup. Unfortunately, the renowned forward bid farewell in a state of disappointment, being substituted in the 80th minute.
Early on, her touch was absent. She dispatched a shot at a defender in the fourth minute and subsequently squandered another opportunity seven minutes later with a clumsy touch, leaving an infuriated Ary Borges unmarked at the far post.
In her forward sprint, Borges finally had an opening when Luana delivered a cross to her, but the playmaker erratically directed her header wide in the 24th minute.
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The Brazilian players were left stunned following their elimination from the group stage of the Women's World Cup. In the latter stages of the first half, Borges skillfully assisted Tamires with a superb cross towards the inside-left channel. However, Tamires unfortunately struck the ball directly at goalkeeper Becky Spencer with a powerful volley.
Jamaica had some fortunate moments in the first half, while Brazil's frustration increased in the second half as their offensive attempts proved futile.
Jamaican fans held their breath in the 79th minute when defender Allyson Swaby almost scored an own goal with a poorly executed clearance, which required Spencer to make an impressive save at the far post.
The Brazilians left themselves vulnerable to the counter-attack while hunting for a goal, and Khadija Shaw came close to punishing them. With only the goalkeeper to overcome, she narrowly missed over the crossbar in the 82nd minute.
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The celebrations will continue long into the night for the history-making Reggae Girlz
Why reaching the knockouts means so much to Jamaica
We' Charlotte Marsh:The result is truly monumental for Jamaica, signaling a significant turning point and an extraordinary accomplishment for a team of skilled and passionate players. They displayed their deservingness of the spot in the knockout stage by securing a goalless draw against France in their initial match and subsequently defeating Panama.
Jamaica once again displayed their defensive prowess against Brazil, just like they did against Les Bleues. Not only did they deny a 'big' team another victory, but they also eliminated them.
By holding their ground against two highly favored teams in the group, Jamaica has proven their resilience and determination, which will surely boost their confidence as they enter the World Cup knockout stages for the first time.
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Jamaica's prominent forward, Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, plays a vital role for the team and currently represents Manchester City in the WSL. A noteworthy aspect of their journey to the World Cup is the resilience shown despite facing off-field challenges. To ensure their participation in the tournament, Havana Solaun's mother established a GoFundMe page, providing much-needed assistance for Jamaica. Unfortunately, the support received from the Jamaican Football Federation leading up to the World Cup has been criticized by the players as being below par.
Bob Marley's daughter, Cedella, has been a devoted advocate and financial backer of the Reggae Girlz, aiming to propel them to success on the global platform. It is remarkable, yet disheartening, that private support is necessary for a national team, underscoring the ongoing challenges that women's football encounters.
Furthermore, the team has also faced tragic circumstances. Jedine Carr, tragically lost her life in a shooting incident shortly before Jamaica secured their qualification for the World Cup. In a poignant display of solidarity, Shaw proudly wore a jersey with Carr's name following their victory over Haiti, securing their second consecutive participation in the tournament.
What's next?
Following their continuous encounters with adversity, witnessing their celebratory post-match moments brought immense joy. May this group of players continue to experience further triumphs in their journey.Jamaica will now compete against the winner of Group H on Tuesday, August 8. The outcome will be determined on Thursday through the matches between South Korea and Colombia, as well as Morocco and Germany.
Colombia is currently leading Group H with a three-point advantage over Germany in second place and Morocco in third. However, the outcome of Thursday's matches could ultimately determine whether any of these three teams will face Jamaica.
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Colombia beat Germany 2-1on Sunday to go top of Group H in the Women's World Cup
What is the schedule?
The group stage is underway and will be held for two weeks, concluding on August 3. Following this stage, the group winners and runners-up will advance to the round of 16, which is scheduled to take place from August 5 to August 8.Additionally, the quarter-finals are set to be held in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney on August 11 and 12.
The first semi-final is scheduled for August 15 in Auckland, while the second semi-final is set to take place on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, which will also host the final on August 20. A third-place play-off will be played in Brisbane on August 19, the day before the final.
