"Marta ends here. I finish, but they continue. Support women's soccer in Brazil and in the world." These have been the bitter words of the Brazilian legend Marta Vieira, the top scorer (17) of all time in a World Cup -male or female-. The 'culprits' are the footballers of the Jamaican national team. A draw was enough for the Reggea Girlz to qualify and they resisted against a giant of women's soccer like Brazil. In their second participation in a World Cup, Jamaica makes history by becoming the first Caribbean country to advance to the round of 16. His rival will be known tomorrow, when group H is completed, with Colombia, Germany or Morocco as possible crosses.
Brazil, current champion of America, which has participated in the nine editions of the Women's World Cup played to date, had only been eliminated in the group stage on two occasions (1991 and 1995).
The match was an early playoff. Defeat meant saying goodbye. It was "now or never", as Pia Sundhage warned in the preview. And the Swedish coach responded to the challenge by giving ownership to Marta, the 'Queen' of football and who, at 37, accepted a secondary role in this World Cup.
That 'Marta factor', six times chosen as the best player in the world, was noticed at the start. The Brazilians came out dominating, boxing in Jamaica, who was defending with long balls in search of a run from Khadija Shaw, the Manchester City striker. Marta tried a couple of shy shots. The Orlando Pride attacker connected well with Debinha and Adriana on the left.
The superiority of the Brazilians was evident, but they began to run out of patience too soon before the Jamaican wall. Brazil lacked biting, success in the last pass and cooking the plays. Jamaica seemed comfortable in her passive role. The tie was worth it to advance to the second round.
Brazil's best chances came from the boots of full-back Tamires. Bad signal. The attacking players were lost among the Jamaican fullbacks. That anxiety made the Caribbean team grow in the last minutes of the first half. Sundhage didn't like what he was seeing at all. Serious face and arms crossed from the bench of the Melbourne Rectangular.
Bad news was piling up for Brazil with France's comeback victory over Panama at the Sydney Soccer Stadium. Victory became more imperative for the 'green-yellow' box.
In the second stage, Sundhage looked for a reaction by adding more meat on the grill with the entry of forward Bia Zaneratto. And Brazil improved. He won verticality and speed with the ball. He hung more balls into the area. He tried from further away, but he still had to shoot between the three sticks.
Time passed and the qualifying goal did not arrive. Jamaica did not leave a space, nor did it accuse the physical effort. Donaldson's bet everything on the counterattack with Shaw. Halfway through the second half, nerves began to grip the South American team. Sundhage hit three more attacking substitutions with ten minutes to go, but it was too late.
Without Marta on the pitch, the Brazilians locked up their rival even more, desperately, but without clear ideas. Jamaica tried to win every second with players falling to the ground.
The four minutes of injury time were few for all the time lost and in the end, Jamaica resisted and signed one of the great surprises of this World Cup: Brazil is out.
From more to less, Canarinha, coached by Swedish coach Pia Sundhage, says goodbye after beating Panama (4-0), losing to France (1-2) and drawing against Jamaica (0-0), in the group F. France goes to the round of 16 as group leader, with 7 points, and Jamaica, with 5, as second, in their second participation in a World Cup. Brazil (4) and Panama (0) say goodbye.
0.Jamaica: Rebecca Spencer; Deneisha Blackwood, Allyson Swaby, Chantelle Swaby, Tiernny Wiltshire; Vyan Shampson, Jody Brown (m.85 Solai Washington), Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Cheyna Matthews (m.46 Tiffany Cameron); Khadija Shaw.
Manager: Lorne Donaldson.
0.Brazil: Leticia Izidoro; Antonia (m.81 Geise), Kathellen Sousa, Rafaelle Sousa, Tamires Dias; Luana (m.81 Duda Sampaio), Adriana, Ary Borges (m.46 Beer Zaneratto), Caroline; Debinha and Martha (m.81 Address).
Selector: Pia Sundhage.
Referee: Swiss Esther Staubli admonished Cheyna Matthews
Incidents: third and last match of group F of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand 2023, played at the Rectangular stadium in Melbourne, before 27,638 spectators.
