FOOTBALL-Jamaica through to the round of 16 after frustrating Brazil

MELBOURNE, Australia, CMC – Jamaica’s Reggae Girls continued their history-making run at the FIFA Women’s World Cup here Wednesday, frustrating giants Brazil in a nil-all draw to become the first-ever Caribbean side to reach the second round of the showpiece.

Forced to defend for large swaths of the Group F contest at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Jamaica’s hero proved to be goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer, the Tottenham Hotspur keeping her third straight clean sheet of the group stage to ensure her side’s progression.

Jamaica finished second on five points behind group winners France, who hammered Panama 6-3 in the other Group F fixture to move to seven points.

“I feel like we’ve been hugely underestimated. I don’t think anyone took us seriously. We’re resilient, and we had a point to prove,” Spencer said afterward.

A shock nil-all draw with powerhouses France in their opener had left Jamaica dreaming, and their 1-0 win over Panama last weekend left them on the brink of history, heading into Wednesday’s game on Australia’s southeastern coast.

Jamaica was under pressure from early as Brazil dominated possession, and the Caribbean side found difficulty in getting out of their half.

Ary Borges headed over from close range in the 24th minute, but while the South Americans commanded 59 percent of the ball in the first half, they were also short of creating clear-cut chances.

Full-back Tamires’ shot, six minutes before the break, was the only one that tested Spencer as she saved low down at the near post.

Brazil upped their intensity in the second half to keep Jamaica pinned back, Luana’s deflected shot in the 79th-minute ballooning safely for Spencer to hold.

Against the run of play, Shaw nearly gave the Jamaicans the lead in the 82nd minute, the Manchester City star holding off her markers in a decisive run but then volleying narrowly over the crossbar.

Jamaica then survived an anxious final second of the four minutes of stoppage, hero Spencer safely holding on to Debinha’s header from close range in what proved to be the last kick of the game.