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Rediff.com  » Sports » Colombia reach first World Cup quarters; France advance

Colombia reach first World Cup quarters; France advance

Last updated on: August 08, 2023 23:26 IST
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Colombia

IMAGE: Colombia's Catalina Usme celebrates scoring. Photograph: Hannah Mckay/Reuters

A second-half goal by Catalina Usme fired Colombia to a 1-0 win over Jamaica on Tuesday and carried the South Americans to their first Women's World Cup quarter-final.

The captain's 51st-minute strike sent Colombian fans into delirium at a packed Melbourne Rectangular Stadium and ensured they will battle England for a place in the last four.

What had been a testy and physical clash up to halftime exploded into life after Usme's breakthrough, with both teams attacking furiously.

 
Jamaica's 'Reggae Girlz' had chances to level the match but bowed out swinging after reaching the knockout phase for the first time in their second World Cup.

Having not conceded a goal all tournament, Jamaica stifled the Colombians early, often leaving their players splayed on the turf with heavy tackles.

Colombia wunderkind Linda Caicedo was kept quiet on the left flank, and the South Americans' first decent scoring chance had to wait until a corner in the 38th minute.

It was wasted, though, with Jorelyn Carabali sending a wild volley from the edge of the area sailing over the bar.

Colombia

IMAGE: Colombia's Lorena Bedoya Durango and Ivonne Chacon celebrate after the match. Photograph: Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Referee Kate Jacewicz lost patience with the Jamaicans' physicality, handing out two yellow cards in five minutes to defender Chantelle Swaby and midfielder Drew Spence near halftime.

It was Colombia's new girl Ana Maria Guzman breaking the game open after the break, the 18-year-old full back finding Usme in space on the right with a long cross.

Usme took the ball past Jamaica defender Deneisha Blackwood and fired a low, left-foot strike inside the far post.

Jamaica had a golden chance to level three minutes later when Blackwood's corner picked out Jody Brown in front of goal but the midfielder's header pinged off the base of the left post.

Jamaica pushed forward in desperation as regulation time dwindled.

Drew Spence rose to meet a Tiffany Cameron cross but thumped her header just wide of the left post in the 82nd minute, allowing Colombia to hold firm to the finish.

IMAGE: France's Eugenie Le Sommer celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Vicki Becho. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters

Le Sommer scores brace in France's 4-0 win over Morocco

Eugenie Le Sommer netted a brace to lead France to a 4-0 victory over debutants Morocco in their last-16 match at the Women's World Cup, and into the quarter-finals for the third consecutive time.

Kadidiatou Diani's fourth goal of the tournament, a header in the 15th minute, sparked an eight-minute three-goal Les Bleues blitz, with Kenza Dali and Le Sommer also scoring at Hindmarsh Stadium, ending the North African side's fairytale run.

France next face hosts Australia in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Brisbane.

Morocco became the lowest-ranked team (72) to play in the last 16, bouncing back from a 6-0 rout by Germany to beat South Korea and Colombia. But they were no match for fifth-ranked France who went unbeaten in the group stage, capped by a dramatic 6-3 win over Panama.

Le Sommer increased her all-time leading goalscoring record for France to 92, while the game marked the first time Les Bleues had scored four goals in a World Cup knockout game.

IMAGE: Morocco's Nouhaila Benzina in action with France's Naomie Feller. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters

Diani, who netted a hat-trick against Panama, was unmarked in the box for an easy header from Sakina Karchaoui's cross that kicked off the scoring and had Moroccan keeper Khadija Er-Rmichi smacking her fists on the pitch in frustration.

There was more frustration to come. Dali connected five minutes later when she struck Diani's cross, her long shot ricocheting off the inside of the far post and in.

Le Sommer was able to get a boot on the ball for her first goal in the 23rd minute after Diani pressured a Moroccan defender.

The 34-year-old Olympique Lyonnais forward netted her second in what had been an otherwise quiet second half for France, heading in a long cross from Vicki Becho from the far post in the 70th minute.

This World Cup marked the first time three African nations made the last 16 in Morocco, South Africa and Nigeria. Morocco were hoping to become the first African nation to win a knockout game.

Nouhaila Benzina had also made history as the first player to wear a hijab in the Women's World Cup

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Source: REUTERS
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