Jamaica books improbable place in Women's World Cup Round of 16

Jamaica held Brazil to a 0-0 draw Wednesday and advanced to the Round of 16 of the Women's World Cup for the first time.

After conceding 12 goals in its Women's World Cup debut in 2019, Jamaica shut out France, Panama and Brazil in consecutive games to book an improbable place in the tournament's knockout stage.

It's the first time since 1995 that Brazil has failed to advance out of the group stage.

In addition to being ranked well below both Brazil and France, Jamaica progressed despite the financial struggles it faced before the tournament.

These difficulties resulted in Jamaica receiving support from fans through crowdfunding due to inadequate support from its federation. Nearly $100,000 US was raised for the team through two fundraisers.

With Marta starting the match for the first time in the group stage, Brazil maintained possession for most of the first half but struggled to test Jamaica goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer.

The second half saw Brazil lift the tempo as the team chased the goal needed to advance. Brazil recorded six shots on target but struggled to threaten Jamaica's goal as Jamaica's organized defence stifled the team throughout the game.

A free kick from Andressa and a header from Debinha in stoppage time represented Brazil's closest chance of scoring the winning goal.

With the draw, the Reggae Girlz advance to the Round of 16 in their second Women's World Cup. The team made its debut in 2019 but lost all three group-stage matches, including a 3-0 loss to Brazil. This time, Jamaica finishes unbeaten in Group F.

"It's the best feeling I've ever had in my life. To be able to do this is unbelievable to just watch it, while I'm alive. I thank the girls for doing this for the country. The country should be proud." said Jamaica coach Lorne Donaldson.

Brazil's loss means it is eliminated from the Women's World Cup in the group stage for the first time since 1995. With the exit from the tournament, Marta has played her final World Cup match after announcing her plan to retire prior to the tournament. She bids farewell to the game's biggest stage as the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 17 goals.

Jamaica advances to play the winner of Group H next week in Adelaide, South Australia. Brazil's tournament comes to a disappointing end.

Italians stunned by South Africa in final minute

Player of the match Hildah Magaia called the moment "life-changing." Coach Desiree Ellis flagged something deeper, though, after South Africa beat Italy 3-2  to qualify for the Round of 16 for the first time.

South Africa had to beat eighth-ranked Italy to progress. A draw would have been enough to take Italy through. And in a turbulent final 20 minutes, both teams stood on the brink of qualifying.

The halftime score was 1-1 after Arianna Caruso's penalty and Benedetta Orsi's own goal. Magaia scored to put South Africa ahead 2-1 and left them on the brink of history, before Caruso equalized from a Cristiana Girelli corner.

At last, in the second minute of stoppage time, Magaia provided the assist for Themba Kgatlana's match-winner and South Africa was through in a moment of huge significance for women's sport in their country.

"They call me the breadwinner. So without the breadwinner, there's no bread," Magaia said. "I had to provide the bread for the nation."

"This really means a lot," she added, "especially knowing that we were so close to going home. It is an emotional one."

In advancing to the last 16, each South Africa player will take home at least $60,000 US, a life-altering sum. Magaia said she now will be able to properly care for her mother.

A dispute over pay that clouded South Africa's preparation and only was resolved on the eve of the world tournament, now is well in the background, one of many trials the team had to overcome to get to the World Cup.

All of that struggle was reflected in their jubilation at fulltime. As the second half seesawed they threw everything into a last bid for victory

"I think there was a time on the line when we had five coaches and the captain giving direction, it was that tough," Ellis, the veteran coach, said. "We knew it was going to be a tough game but we knew what we were capable of.

"The girls are just freaking amazing. I mean I speak through every challenge they faced in the past," she added. "We know that no-one gave us a chance today but we knew what we were capable of and they fought like warriors out there."

The South Africans will face the Netherlands on Sunday.

In previous group matches, South Africa lost 2-1 to Sweden after leading 1-0 with a Magaia goal and drew 2-2 with Argentina after leading.

"I think this is for everyone back home," Ellis said. "You know, people getting up in the early hours of the morning who were disappointed when we should have won against Argentina. This is for everyone."

Italy was disconsolate at the end, so close to progressing, but denied at the last moment.

"It's a defeat which is hard to swallow but South Africa played better than us and deserved to win," Italy coach Milena Bertolini said. "I believe that as far as Italian female soccer is concerned, I believe we do have a future. We have young players who have gained experience now and I believe that in future we have good prospects to improve and do better."

Sweden defeats Argentina

Sweden will be refreshed and ready for Sunday's tantalizing tie against holders United States in the Women's World Cup last 16, coach Peter Gerhardsson said after his second-string side reached the knockouts with a clinical win over Argentina.

Rebecka Blomqvist's second-half header and substitute Elin Rubensson's 90th-minute penalty earned the third-ranked Swedes a 2-0 victory at Waikato Stadium and powered them into the next round as Group G winners.

Sweden had already secured qualification after seeing off South Africa and hitting five past Italy, allowing Gerhardsson the luxury of resting key players including Fridolina Rolfo and Stina Blackstenius and utilizing his team's strength in depth.

"I think we will have many fresh players on Sunday, both in the starting 11 and the finishing 11," Gerhardsson, who made a sweeping nine changes for the Argentina match, told reporters.

The Americans, pre-tournament favourites to win a third straight title, have been far from their scintillating best so far and scraped into the last 16 after a goalless draw with Portugal on Tuesday.

Sweden and the U.S. will meet for the sixth World Cup in succession and the seventh time overall when they battle for a quarter-final spot in Sydney.

At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Sweden trounced the U.S. 3-0 in the quarter-finals en route to the final and ended the Americans' unbeaten run spanning 44 games over 30 months.

"I rewatched that match recently and I don't think that's one of our best matches," Gerhardsson said. "I thought the expectations were quite low that we'd be able to achieve something like that.

"We were incredibly efficient ... I think the result was excellent, but we were in trouble a few times. So it's possible that we have to be better on Sunday than we were there."

Gerhardsson led Sweden to a third-placed finish at the 2019 World Cup. They also won bronze in 2011 and 1991, and were runners-up to the U.S. at the 2003 tournament.

"If you're going to go all the way, you're going to have to play this kind of opposition sooner or later," he said. "From a psychological perspective, we know we can beat them."

France advances with win over Panama

Also, Kadidiatou Diani scored a hat trick as France advanced to the knockout stage after a 6-3 win over Panama.

The world's No. 5-ranked team recovered from the shock of going behind to Marta Cox's 30-yard free kick after two minutes at Sydney Football Stadium to finish atop Group F.

France, which had also been held to a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in its opening game, advanced after back-to-back wins against Brazil and Panama.

The French only needed a draw to guarantee their place in the Round of 16 for the fourth time in succession. But France was given an early scare when Cox whipped the ball into the top corner, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin to score her country's first goal at a Women's World Cup in style.

France responded impressively to that early setback by going into the break with a 4-1 lead.

Panama's Deysire Salazar lashed the ball into her own net when trying to clear Maelle Lakrar's header in the 21st. Diani scored her first goal seven minutes later, and converted from the spot in the 37th after Yomira Pinzon handled in the area.

Lea Le Garrec's made it 4-1 in the fifth minute of first half stoppage time.

Panama's players had gone from elation at the start of the half to dejection at the end of it.

As the whistle blew for the break, Cox gathered her teammates for an impromptu huddle in the middle of the field, with the players looking visibly frustrated.

It got worse for Panama as Diani scored her second penalty seven minutes after the break when Wendy Natis was penalized on a VAR review for handling in the box.

France appeared capable of going on a goal spree in the second half, but it was Panama's players who mounted an unexpected fightback.

They pulled a goal back with a penalty in the 64th, which was converted by Pinzon. Lineth Cedeno scored another for the 52-ranked team, with a header in the 87th.

Vicki Becho hit France's sixth in the 10th minute of stoppage time to set a new record for the number of goals her country has scored in a Women's World Cup match.

France will play the second-place team from Group H in Adelaide next Tuesday.