(CNN) — Colombia achieved the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals for the to start with time in the country’s background right after a nervy 1- victory in excess of Jamaica in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Catalina Usme brilliantly scored the winner and, in the course of action, grew to become the initial participant at this event to split Jamaica’s stubborn protection.
The Colombians’ reward is a past eight tie versus reigning European champion and globe No.4 England in Sydney on Saturday, a match the South American team has the expertise to gain in spite of there becoming 21 destinations between the two sides in the environment rankings.
Colombia and Jamaica’s unlikely journeys to the knockout phases will be a main explanation why this match will be regarded as a achievements. Soon after all, what is sporting romance if it isn’t the standard powerhouses faltering and the underdogs thriving against the odds?
With these two teams getting been accustomed to largely playing against international locations expected to defeat them in the team levels, both of those struggled to choose the initiative in this tie and, for that reason, there ended up handful of odds.
But in performing just enough to beat Jamaica, Colombia results in being the initially South American state to attain the last eight considering the fact that Brazil in 2011.
After the match, Colombia coach Nelson Abadía informed FIFA: “I feel this minute is special for Colombian women’s soccer historical past, for south The united states … Equally, this is the triumph of a human group that has worked tough to attain regularity, to have a trade, character, identity … and right now we played and won properly.”
Jamaica had an option to stage the rating late in the game, but Drew Spence headed inches wide. Colombia’s Leicy Santos then strike the publish in the remaining few minutes as the match came to life in the latter stages with Jamaica likely in lookup of an equalizer.
Unattainable to overlook
Some of Jamaica’s players had been in tears soon after the ultimate whistle. But the country’s existence in the round-of-16 is specially impressive.
Not only did the Reggae Girlz progress from a team which contained favorites France and Brazil, but they did so owning experienced to launch a assertion right before the match expressing their “utmost disappointment” with the country’s soccer federation.
The team had missed various friendlies, the statement said, because of to “extreme disorganization” and that they experienced “showed up continuously with out obtaining contractually agreed upon compensation.”
In a statement on its web site, the JFF acknowledged that “things have not been done perfectly” but that it was “working assiduously to resolve” players’ issues.
Chinyelu Asher, who played for Jamaica at the 2019 Planet Cup, advised CNN ahead of the opposition commenced that the statement’s function experienced been to make the federation choose the women’s team additional significantly.
The issue now is what will be the response to the team’s good results, and that of other lesser-funded nations around the world?
While about $49 million of the record $110 million Entire world Cup prize money will go directly to unique players, the rest of the pot will be break up in between collaborating federations who will decide what share of this dollars to allocate to groups and gamers – if any at all.
Even although Jamaica’s participation in this match ended in Melbourne, the gamers have sparkled on the world phase and built them selves, you would hope, extremely hard to dismiss.
Jamaica keeps Caicedo quiet
The match begun as if it were to conclusion in penalties. Jamaica relied on the defense that hadn’t conceded a target in the team phases and, like France and Brazil prior to them, Colombia struggled to puncture a well-structured backline.
Obtaining scored just as soon as in the tournament prior to this tie, Jamaica’s mentor Lorne Donaldson experienced challenged his group to discover the internet, but the crew managed just two photographs on target and did not delight in plenty of possession to put sustained tension on Colombia.
There had been flashes from Linda Caicedo, Colombia’s gifted 18-12 months-previous, but the teenager was mostly kept silent in a match in which protection acquired the better of assault, other than for Usme’s moment of magic.
In the 51st minute, the Colombia captain delicately controlled Ana Guzman’s extraordinary move and positioned the ball past Jamaica’s Rebecca Spencer. Fittingly, it was the goal that would make record.
Jamaica approximately leveled quickly soon after when Colombia’s Catalina Perez fumbled the ball on her goalline, but the South American facet counterattacked immediately and troubled the Caribbean aspect when yet again only for Caicedo to be termed offside.
The more time the video game progressed, the much more liberty Caicedo loved on the still left flank, but Jamaica defended the danger posted by the Real Madrid participant who has lit up this tournament with her wonderful ability on the ball.
But Jamaica wanted to also rating and even with a late prosper, the team’s prosaic solution finally proved to be its downfall.
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