Jamaica ensured there could be no fairytale ending to Marta’s World Cup profession as they strangled Brazil 0-0 to achieve the final 16 on Wednesday and condemn the South Americans to their earliest exit since 1995. It was heartbreak for the legendary Brazilian attacker Marta, who at age 37 has mentioned this sixth World Cup could be her final. “Not even in my worst nightmares was it the World Cup I dreamed of,” she mentioned, trying as shellshocked as she was upset.

But it was pleasure in Melbourne for a Jamaica group who’re but to concede on the event and are into the knockout rounds for the primary time of their historical past.

Lorne Donaldson’s unbeaten aspect, who’ve defied rows with their federation to get this far, will more than likely meet Colombia subsequent after ending second within the group behind France.

“This is one of the best days I’ve ever had in my life,” Donaldson mentioned.

“To see a country like Jamaica be able to do this, it’s unbelievable.

“The women are doing it for the nation, the nation must be proud.

“We had resilience, fight. We are going into a war and we need to be ready,” he added.

“And it was a war, and we stayed in the battle.”

Jamaica’s achievement, having misplaced all three video games of their debut World Cup in 2019, is all of the extra outstanding contemplating the tensions behind the scenes.

Donaldson’s group has been in open dispute with their soccer federation over an absence of assist, together with points over pay and poor planning within the build-up to the World Cup.

Goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer mentioned their run on the event will ship a message to the bosses again house.

“We know we’ve got a point to prove and the better we do, the more pressure it creates.

“We hope they’re us and taking us severely now.”

‘Marta ends here’

Brazil had to win to be sure of going through, whereas Jamaica needed only to draw.

So it was little surprise that it was the South Americans who had the better of an attritional contest.

In front of a crowd of nearly 28,000, Brazil had much more of the ball and attempts at goal — Jamaica had none on target all game to Brazil’s five.

But for all that and with Marta starting, Jamaica were never really in serious trouble at any point in the game.

Jamaica, who held France 0-0 before getting their first-ever World Cup win with a 1-0 victory over Panama, were defending deep and in numbers.

Pia Sundhage’s Brazil, who have never won the World Cup, looked short of ideas as they went to the break goalless.

The second half was more of the same but Brazil were struggling to really create a golden chance.

Khadija Shaw, the prolific Manchester City striker and Jamaica’s undoubted star, was hardly seen as an attacking force.

Into the last 20 minutes and Jamaica showed few signs of buckling, as Brazil simply ran out of steam and ideas.

Marta said that many other teams in women’s football have simply caught up with eighth-ranked Brazil and the other sides at the top.

“We used to see groups that got here to the World Cup and scored seven or eight objectives, not any extra,” she said.

“Women’s soccer has been rising and it’s worthwhile.

“Marta ends here, there is no more World Cup for Marta.

“I’m grateful for the chance to have yet one more World Cup and really pleased with what is occurring with girls’s soccer on the earth.”

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