Jamaica succeeds in sensation
Co-favorite Brazil suffers an embarrassing World Cup exit
8/2/2023 1:57 p.m
Brazil is starting the World Cup as one of the favorites, but the tournament is already over for the South American champions after the group stage. Because there was no victory against Jamaica, top star Marta’s great World Cup career ended bitterly. Favorite France are not naked despite a wild game.
Superstar Marta has to bury her dream of winning the World Cup with Brazil after her sixth participation. The Selecao ended Group F with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Jamaica and finished third on four points, missing out on qualifying for the Round of 16. Instead, Jamaica would now be the opponent of the German team on Tuesday (10:00 a.m. CEST/ZDF and in the live ticker on ntv.de) if they still snatch the group win on Thursday.
For the South Americans it is the first preliminary round since 1995. Since 2003, Marta had been chasing the title at six world championships in vain, the game in Melbourne was probably her last in the national jersey. The superstar, who only came from the joker role after a cruciate ligament tear at the beginning of the tournament, steered the Brazilian game from the start this time, but there was still a lack of ideas.
As expected, the Selecao immediately took control of the game and pushed Jamaica deep into their own half. A first shot by Marta (11th) was blocked, then Luana checked goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer for the first time (19th). Overall, however, there was hardly any room against the outsiders, who were limited to the defensive, and Tamires’ great volley was one of the few finishes (39th).
France win wild game
Even after the change, Jamaica defended well in front of 27,638 spectators and hardly allowed anything. Just like her offensive colleagues, Marta was hardly able to assert herself, after 80 minutes she left the field exhausted. Substitute Geyse (82nd) moved from a promising position.
In the parallel game, favorite France won 6:3 (4:1) against Panama and thus made themselves the group winners. The French quickly repaired an early deficit (2nd minute) and the game against Panama, bottom of the group, was already decided at half-time. Kadidiatou Diani became the first French woman to score a hat-trick in a World Cup game. Panama’s World Cup debut ended without a point. If the German team finishes Group H in second place, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s team will meet France.