Match report
Anyway ... the main course is England against Argentina. Join Simon Burnton for all the action.
No surprise who player of the match is.
Congrats to @cristianagire - the #PlayeroftheMatch presented by @Visa for #JAMITA! ️⚽️️⚽️️⚽️@Visa_IT | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/vx6IrdDr84
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) June 14, 2019
Jamaica looked good going forward at times, they certainly have plenty of pace, but lacked that cutting edge and decisive final ball when required, which was a shame. No wonder they haven’t scored in the tournament.
Well done Italy.
5 - Italy have picked up their joint-largest ever win in the Women's World Cup, level with their 5-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in 1991 in their first ever game at the tournament. Bookends. #FIFAWWC #ITA pic.twitter.com/XcsYqFioGb
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 14, 2019
Full-time: Jamaica 0-5 Italy
Italy showed they were the superior team from the off and Jamaica helped them out with some pretty poor defending. Girelli will be pleased with her hat-trick by Galli’s goals off the bench will be more memorable as Italy ease into the knockout stages.
90+2 mins: Italy are just passing the ball slowly around.
90 mins: Four minutes added on. I think Italy have got this.
89 mins: Jamaica should do better when Brown gets beyond the Italy defence but her pullback for Shaw is weak and the Italians recover to clear.
87 mins: The crowd is making a decent noise but there isn’t much to see here.
85 mins: Bartoli gets down the other end to chuck in a couple of long throws. The second goes over everyone and Schneider has to react to claim the ball before anyone in blue can get a foot in.
83 mins: Bartoli chucks her self to the ground in the corner, resulting in Blackwood kicking the ground in frustration.
GOAL! Jamaica 0-5 Italy (Galli, 81)
It’s all far too simple for Italy as a pass cuts through the entire Jamaica defence, allowing Galli to run from deep and collect the ball unhindered before rounding the goalkeeper and tapping it into an empty net.
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79 mins: Girelli is claiming a perfect hat-trick. Her first was a right-footed penalty, the ball bounced in off her thigh for the second and the third hit her face, which is all very similar to Shaun Goater at his peak.
77 mins: Bonansea wants to get level with Girelli on three goals in the tournament but her shot from 25 yards goes harmlessly wide. Oh no! It’s a Mexican wave. Abandon the match immediately.
75 mins: Italy will not be taking any risks for the remainder of this game. Even Giuliani is just whacking it clear now.
73 mins: Jamaica had looked brighter since the third goal, so hopefully the fourth will not crush their spirits too much.
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GOAL! Jamaica 0-4 Italy (Galli, 71)
CRASH! BANG! WALLOP! WHAT A GOAL! Substitute Galli collects the ball in space 25 yards from goal, gets it out of her feet and whacks a rocket straight into the top corner. Schneider’s forlorn dive just makes the strike look better.
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69 mins: Bonansea tries to do a 360 degree turn but only succeeds in sending the ball out of play. I think she was being a bit too cocky there. Down the other end, Blackwood stretches to send in a cross which loops towards the net and bounces off the bar with Giuliani helpless and Linari is there to clear before Shaw can knock in the rebound.
67 mins: Girelli sends in a low cross but Swaby is there to meet it and turns it behind. The corner goes to the edge of the six-yard box but three Jamaican defenders are there waiting and clear the danger.
65 mins: Bergamaschi is the latest player to be replace, with Galli coming on for her. Jamaica meanwhile have swapped Grey for Brown.
63 mins: Shaw sends the ball into the box but it’s straight to Gama who under no pressure whatsoever whacks it out next to her own corner flag. Maybe she is feeling the effects of the head injury. Solaun slips it through for Shaw but Gama stays strong to win the ball and clear it. Jamaica have upped the tempo here.
61 mins: A nice move from Jamaica results in Adamolekun sending in a cross but it is diverted behind for a corner, which is cleared.
59 mins: What is Giuliani doing?! She takes her time on the ball and is hounded by Shaw who gets the ball off her. It lands at the feet of Asher but she fails to get a decent shot away. Eventually the ball loops up and Shaw goes for a spectacular overhead kick but only succeeds in kicking Gama in the face. The Italy skipper goes down in a heap and the medical staff come sprinting on. She eventually gets to her feet and counts her teeth.
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57 mins: The life has gone out of this game since the third. Jamaica do not have much to offer going forward and Italy look quite content with a three-goal lead. Italy are resting players now as Guagni is replaced by Boattin.
55 mins: If you’ve not seen the poor goalkeeping for the third ...
Hat-trick hero!
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 14, 2019
Italy are cruising.
Live ➡ https://t.co/66dqWfPAC4 #ReggaeGirlz #FIFAWWC #JAM #ITA pic.twitter.com/fz5GKzSy2x
53 mins: Shaw gets to the byline after bursting beyond Gama and her pullback finds Grey who pokes a shot at goal but it is blocked before it can trouble the ‘keeper. Shaw is certainly the most dangerous of the Jamaica players.
51 mins: Sabatino is caught and goes down looking like she has hurt herself but eventually gets up after a teammate provides respite by knocking it out of play. Shaw almost breaks through the defence but a poor touch sees the ball get away from her and the goalkeeper collects.
49 mins: Oh Jamaica, what could have been if you knew what defending was. Swaby picks up the ball 35 yards from goal and tries to get Jamaica’s first shot on target but instead whacks it high and handsome.
GOAL! Jamaica 0-3 Italy (Girelli, 46)
Jamaica fail to deal with another cross. Giugliano sends in a high and hanging cross from the right, Schneider comes to claim it but misses it completely and the ball bounces in off Girelli’s head and into the empty net. That’s poor goalkeeping.
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Second half: Jamaica 0-2 Italy
Here we go again!
Jamaica have made a change. Sweatman is on for Chantelle Swaby.
David Marriott has been back in touch about VAR: “I guess now it’s half time we’ll get another look at the penalty decision. In fact, just have, and the Italian player went down on shoulder contact. My views on the vicissitudes of VAR appear to be shared by many Guardian readers (judging by the comments on the Japan-Scotland match report). I may be paranoid, but I see the hand of FIFA behind some of these decisions which are, in some cases, inexplicable. It was NEVER going to be about correcting obvious errors – we saw that at the [Men’s] World Cup.”
Here is what happened for the first goal ...
Jamaica will not be fans of VAR after this one...
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 14, 2019
Laws are laws though.
Live @BBCRedButton and the @BBCSport website ➡ https://t.co/66dqWfPAC4 #JAM #ITA #ReggaeGirlz pic.twitter.com/gGwsY76hwE
This is what happened in Japan v Scotland earlier ...
Half-time: Jamaica 0-2 Italy
Italy are by far the superior side, aided by Jamaica’s refusal to defend set-pieces. In fairness they were unlucky with the penalty being retaken but they have failed to have a shot on goal in the whole half, so do not deserve anything. Can’t see much changing after the break.
45 mins: Three minutes to be added on here.
43 mins: Italy try to make the most of Jamaica’s incompetent defending by launching a long throw into the box where an unmarked Girelli is allowed to freely flick it on before Jamaica wake up and clear it, only for a second cross to come in but Sabatino sends her header wide.
41 mins: An Italy free-kick is sent into the box from halfway inside the Jamaica half. Swaby comes to meet it but heads the ball out for a corner rather than clear. Jamaica are far too nervous when it comes to dealing with set-pieces. Plummer does at least get rid of the subsequent corner.
39 mins: Shaw sends in a cross which worries the goalkeeper before whacking into the side-netting.
Alys Barber-Rogers emails in: “Enjoying the live updates. My friend and I are discussing whether the new rules are encouraging players to appeal rather than play to the whistle. I have no evidence, but it feels like it to me.”
I guess the players have the best hunches, so worth the extra protestations.
37 mins: The ball goes over the top for Shaw to chase, resulting in Gama and goalkeeper Giuliani crashing into each other on the edge of the Italy box. The referee plays on despite Giulani and Gama both being on the deck. Eventually the official comes to her senses and stops play. The Italy No 1 is treated and gets back to her feet (with a slight hobble).
35 mins: Every Italy corner must force any Jamaican watching at home to jump behind the sofa. The latest finds Bonansea in space at the front post but she does not connect properly and the ball squirts wide.
33 mins: Italy are slowing the game down here, which is no bad thing as it seems pretty muggy in Reims.
31 mins: Grey brushes off a challenge in the middle of the park and lays it off but the eventually pass over the top comes to nothing, one again bouncing harmlessly into Giuliani’s arms. Jamaica need to find a touch more composure if they are to get back into this.
29 mins: Another corner defended in an amateur fashion as a defender heads the ball towards her own goal where Sabatino is waiting in front of Schneider, she turns but the shot is blocked and the rebound is smashed against the bar before the ball is eventually cleared. Jamaica do threaten down the other end but Italy recover to bundle a cross behind with Shaw lurking at the back post.
27 mins: Well ... it’s a long way back for Jamaica now who are yet to create a decent chance of their own and it’s all their own fault with the original penalty and that pathetic attempt at defending a corner. It almost gets worse for Jamaica as a deep cross to the back post finds Bonansea but her shot is deflected behind by Campbell.
GOAL! Jamaica 0-2 Italy (Girelli, 25)
Giugliano sends a flat corner to the front post which should really be cleared but it somehow bounces through to Girelli who bundles it home from six yards out. Some awful defending.
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22 mins: Bergamaschi forces herself through the middle and gets the chance to whack a shot from 20 yards but only succeeds in whacking it against a defender and Jamaica regroup to clear. Jamaica looking very determined at the back.
David Marriott has been in touch: “Well that was a VERY soft penalty – looked shoulder to shoulder to me. There’s a whiff of preferred results at this World Cup. I also suspect that there’s a slow –or not so slow – move towards ANY contact in the box being deemed a foul.
“And whatever happened to VAR being to correct “clear and obvious errors”? Apparently it’s just to review any major call by the referee on the pitch. It’s got to go.”
I think it was a penalty as she caught her feet without getting the ball.
20 mins: Asher cuts in from the left and dissects the defence with a pass but once again Grey cannot reach it and the goalkeeper slides out to end the attack.
18 mins: Shaw tries to send a pass through the defence for Grey to chase but there is just too much on the ball and the goalkeeper comes to collect.
16 mins: I am slightly suspicious the penalty might have hit the post if Schneider had not saved it. Back to the here and now: not much is happening.
14 mins: Now ... let’s all calm down a little bit. A lot happened around that penalty: VAR, saved penalty, booking for the goalkeeper and then the retaken penalty is scored. Jamaica are looking a little fraught now.
GOAL! Jamaica 0-1 Italy (Girelli, pen, 12)
It’s all happening! Girelli sees her original penalty saved by Schneider but the goalkeeper had taken a step off the line before diving to the left to stop it. The penalty must therefore be retaken and on this occasion, Girelli sends Schneider the wrong way, as she carefully places her shot in the corner. Oooof!
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10 mins: Bonansea looks to go round Swaby in the box but the defender puts in a challenge, although she seems to have taken the player rather than the ball. Bonansea is right to protest. We’re going to VAR ... and it’s a penalty!
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8 mins: A pretty quiet spell summed up by Shaw trying to find someone out of the right but whacking the ball straight out of play instead.
6 mins: Bonansea tries to follow up her two goals against Australia with a strike from distance but despite it being well struck goes straight into Schneider’s arms from 25 yards.
4 mins: Giugliano almost gets on the end of a lovely flick into the box but a defender comes in with a robust challenge to ensure she does not get the chance to shoot.
Chris emails in to ask: “Reims is known for its champagne but will it be prosecco or dark and stormies tonight on its streets?”
I’ll say prosecco.
2 mins: Italy try to get things going from the back but a pass is cut out by Swaby who instigates a counter with Grey down the right but her cross into box is cleared. Positive stuff from Jamaica.
Kick-off: Jamaica v Italy
Let’s get ready to rumble!
Giugliano gives a wink to the camera during the Italian national anthem. Lovely stuff.
The players are out on the pitch, greeted by a decent enough crowd but there are plenty of empty seats. Now the anthems.
The BBC are kindly taking us around Reims, which looks like your quintessential town but with some added football fans for the day. There is a little bit of cloud around but it seems nice enough.
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A big game for England later ...
Inside the dressing room ...
🇮🇹 Lo spogliatoio delle #Azzurre 💙💙 #RagazzeMondiali #FIFAWWC #DareToShine #LeMomentDeBriller pic.twitter.com/kx9vJmVupm
— Nazionale Femminile di Calcio (@AzzurreFIGC) June 14, 2019
Abhijato Sensarma emails in to say: “There are two World Cup matches which will be going on simultaneously in just a while - England v Windies playing cricket, and Italy v Jamaica playing football. In one match, the Europeans are beating the Caribbeans comfortably... Surely the same has a chance of happening in the other match (this one) too?”
I am now mainly hoping someone plays in massive reflective aviators like Chris Gayle.
Hope Solo has spent most of her time on screen for Japan v Scotland criticising everything in sight. I might have to up my game to be as harsh as she is. The truth certainly does hurt.
Do not forget that Bunny Shaw is the Guardian’s Footballer of the Year.
Jamaica’s first ambition will be to not receive such a non-penalty as they did against Brazil. Silly VAR.
I can’t see this one ending 13-0. Here’s Eni Aluko on respect:
Italy secured an impressive win last time. Here are the highlights:
Here are plenty of talking points from the World Cup so far ...
Lineups: Jamaica v Italy
Jamaica: Schneider, Campbell, Allyson Swaby, Plummer, Blackwood, Chantelle Swaby, Asher, Adamolekun, Solaun, Shaw, Grey
Italy: Giuliani, Guagni, Gama, Linari, Bartoli, Bergamaschi, Giugliano, Cernoia, Bonansea, Girelli, Sabatino
Preamble
Good afternoon!
How can Italy top beating Australia? Well by beating Jamaica of course! They need the points today following the Matildas turning it around against Brazil after coming from two goals down to win making make this group as lively as it gets.
Jamaica are no mugs, that’s for sure. Bunny Shaw is their standout player and she has the capabilities to put Italy under pressure and she will really need to perform to give her side some hope, as a defeat would effectively end their campaign in France.
Let’s see what happens!!
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