Brazil 0-0 Jamaica: Women’s World Cup history made as Brazil crash out and Jamaica through to last 16

A courageous Jamaica held Brazil to a 0-0 draw to reach the knockout stage for the first time in only their second Women’s World Cup while condemning the South Americans to their earliest exit since 1995.

Needing a point to go through, the Reggae Girlz barely threatened to score but were tight in defence, repelling wave after wave of Brazilian attacks in a frenetic atmosphere at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

Brazil coach Pia Sundhage started Marta for the first time in the tournament, her sixth World Cup, but the iconic forward bowed out in disappointment.

Her touch was missing early. She fired a shot into a defender in the fourth minute and then wasted another chance seven minutes later with a heavy touch, leaving an unmarked Ary Borges fuming at the far post.

Running towards goal, Borges finally had her chance when Luana found her with a cross but the playmaker steered her header well wide in the 24th minute.

Borges then set Tamires up with a delightful cross into the inside-left channel late in the half but she thumped a volley straight at goalkeeper Becky Spencer.

Jamaica rode their luck to half-time and Brazil’s desperation grew after the break as their attacks came to nothing.

Jamaicans hearts were in mouths in the 79th minute when defender Allyson Swaby nearly put the ball into her own net with a terrible attempted clearance that forced Spencer into a fine save at the far post.

More to follow…

What is the schedule?

The group stage has begun and runs over a two-week period finishing on August 3. Group winners and runners-up progress to the round of 16, which takes place from August 5 to August 8.

The quarter-finals, which will be held in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney, are scheduled for August 11 and 12.

The first semi-final will then be played on August 15 in Auckland, with the other semi-final taking place on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, which will then host the final on August 20.

A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.