2nd August, 2023
By Victor Okoye
Jamaica became the third Concacaf nation and the first from the Caribbean to reach the Round of 16 at the FIFA Women’s World Cup on a historic day.
This followed an amazing defensive performance in Melbourne, where they ended Brazil’s season with a scoreless draw.
For the most of the competition, the Reggae Girls had their backs to the wall.
They are, nevertheless, one of just three nations, along with Switzerland and Japan, that have yet to concede a goal at Australia & New Zealand 2023.
The pattern of this game was defined early on, with Jamaica knowing that a draw would assure passage and Brazil presumably needing a win.
The South American team, bizarrely dressed in blue against a yellow opponent, had the most of possession but struggled to break down a well-organized Reggae Girls side.
Brazil pushed and probed, possessing 59 percent of the ball at halftime.
But, except from a 39th-minute Tamires effort that Rebecca Spencer easily handled down low, there was hardly nothing noteworthy inside the first hour.
The longer the game lasted, the more frustrated Brazil were and the more confident Jamaica’s defensive determination became.
With star striker Khadija Shaw injured, the Reggae Girls created very little moving forward, but their work at the back was so good that it didn’t matter.
Marta, the legendary Brazilian forward, started and aimed to become the first player, male or female, to score in six World Cups.
Her night, and maybe her Women’s World Cup career, ended in the 81st minute, as Jamaica survived a few tense last moments to secure their place in history.
Jamaica has yet to surrender a goal at Australia and New Zealand 2023, after conceding 12 in their previous outing four years ago.
“Literal tears in our eyes as we post this! The Reggae Girlz will advance to the Round of 16,“he said.
“HISTORY IS BEING MADE RIGHT IN FRONT OUR EYES,” a tweet on the official twitter handle of the Jamaica Football Federation (@jjf_football) read.
NAN