Day 14: Farewell to an icon

Joy for Jamaica and South Africa as Brazil and Italy crash out

Jamaica 0 - Brazil 0

Where to begin with this one? Jamaica held Brazil to a 0-0 draw to ensure their spot in the knock-out rounds with Brazil exiting the competition at this stage for the first time since 1995. Marta finished her final World Cup sat looking out from the bench, stony-faced, unable to do anymore having started the game.

For Jamaica, this has been some achievement. The team required a GoFundMe to reach the tournament with their federation having given them almost no support. Not only that, they have developed considerably since the 2019 World Cup where they conceded 10 goals in three games. Not many people would have predicted them to keep three clean sheets in a group that conceded France and Brazil. 

They have potentially been slightly lucky in this regard. They have conceded opportunities with an expected goals of 4.4 but with a post-shot xG of only 2.4, suggesting that their opponents have been poor with their shot placement but also possibly highlighting the Jamaican defences success in putting players off. However, even then Becky Spencer has the highest overperformance against PSxG of any goalkeeper in the competition. Spencer has played exceptionally but has not historically been a goalkeeper who consistently posts better numbers than expected - in fact it normally goes in the opposite direction. But her upturn has come at the perfect moment.

For Brazil, this group stage exit is a total failure, regardless of the misfortune of being in a group with France. They looked totally disconnected in attack against Jamaica and struggled to build the kind of intensity to put them under serious pressure. They are arguably the most talented team to have gone out at the group stage - a sour end to Marta’s incredible footballing legacy.

South Africa 3 - Italy 2

South Africa upset the applecart in Group G as they came from a goal down to knock Italy out in a match which showed just how deadly South Africa can be on the break. Italy went a goal up early on from an Arianna Caruso penalty but struggled to really take control of the match. A horrendous own goal from Benedetta Orsi levelled it up and from there Italy looked incredibly unsettled.

They struggled to deal with the pressure and speed from Thembi Kgatlana and Hilda Magaia who created the same threatening chances we had seen against Argentina here, using precise cutbacks and off ball runs to generate high quality opportunities.

Italy did have moments of their own, mainly thanks to some chaotic South African defending at set-pieces, and were able to equalise after going 2-1 down. But South Africa continued to play with confidence and bravery, and were more than deserving of their winner.

Milena Bertolini came into this tournament eschewing her captain Sara Gama and wanting to introduce a new generation of players to this Italy team. But at no point during the World Cup have her side looked fluid or connected. It would be simplistic to say that Gama’s absence caused this early exit, but there has been a clear lack of leadership on the pitch for Italy throughout the tournament. Against South Africa, they were out coached, out ran, and out fought.