The second round of matches in Group F of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand provided breathtaking drama as France and Jamaica secured vital wins in their respective games on Saturday.
Les Bleues defeated 2007 finalists Brazil 2-1 in an enthralling tie at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, with 33-year-old defender Wendie Renard scoring the winner for the 2019 hosts.
Veteran forward Eugenie Le Sommer, who was recalled into the team by head coach Herve Renard, put the French side ahead with a thumping header in the 17th minute after Brazil’s goalkeeper Leticia Izidoro had denied her header four minutes earlier.
The 34-year-old became the first French player to score in three editions of the Women’s World Cup, and the goal took her tally in the competition to six, as she also became Les Bleues all-time leading scorer at the Mundial.
Brazil turned up the heat in the second half as Debinha drew them level with a close-range finish for her second goal of the tournament. France immediately began their chase for a second strike, but goalkeeper Leticia was on hand to deny them multiple times.
However, she was unable to find an answer to Renard’s brilliant far-post header in the 83rd minute from a corner kick by Selma Bacha. The French skipper opened her account for the competition with a very important deciding goal.
In the second group game between Jamaica and debutants Panama, stand-in captain Allyson Swaby, who wore the armband in place of Khadija Shaw due to the latter’s suspension, got the all-important goal for the Reggae Girlz in their 1-0 win at the Perth Rectangular Stadium.
Swaby turned in Trudi Carter’s corner kick with a powerful header to earn her side their first-ever victory at any edition of the Women’s World Cup. Lorne Donaldson’s side also kept back-to-back clean sheets in the competition for the first time ever after conceding 12 goals in three games in their debut in 2019.
The victory for the two sides meant they both have four points, but despite having the same points and goal difference, France sits atop the group with a superior number of goals scored (2) compared to Jamaica’s one. Brazil are in third with three points, while the Canal Girls of Panama are without a single point and are already eliminated with one game to spare.
Action in the group will continue on Wednesday, August 2, as France takes on Panama at the Allianz Stadium, while Jamaica and Brazil will do battle at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, with both matches going on concurrently at 11 a.m. WAT, with a place in the round of 16 up for grabs.
