France’s hopes of a profitable begin to their Women’s World Cup marketing campaign have been thwarted by a hardworking Jamaican aspect in a 0-0 draw within the opening Group F conflict at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday.
The French, semi-finalists ultimately 12 months’s European Championship, have been unable to get their fluent passing sport going because the Jamaicans hassled and harried them to earn their first World Cup level after three defeats of their 2019 debut.
Forward Kadidiatou Diani nearly clinched the winner for France within the ninetieth minute however her highly effective header hit the bar then the publish earlier than bouncing out to the delight of the Jamaicans within the crowd of almost 40,000.
Fifth ranked France takes on Brazil within the match that was anticipated to resolve Group F in Brisbane on Saturday, whereas Jamaica will face Panama in Perth later the identical day with out striker Khadija Shaw, who was dismissed in stoppage time.
It regarded like the sport is perhaps robbed of its two largest names when France skipper Wendie Renard and Shaw clashed heads within the opening jiffy.
Both returned to the pitch after temporary medical consideration, nevertheless, and Shaw was quickly inflicting the French loads of issues along with her direct operating and physicality.
France was struggling to get its passing sport going due to Jamaica’s exhausting press and the Reggae Girlz had the higher of the early exchanges.
RELATED: ‘Nervous’ Sweden survives South Africa scare at Women’s World Cup
The French put collectively the primary transfer of any high quality within the thirty sixth minute with ahead Diani let out to attract a save out of Jamaica goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer, who was once more at full stretch to disclaim Renard on the ensuing nook.
Shaw hammered a free kick large of the publish within the forty second minute in Jamaica’s finest probability of the primary half and a deflected Diani effort flashed large in stoppage time earlier than the break.
France regularly imposed itself on the sport within the second half and Diani and midfielder Sandie Toletti each had probabilities earlier than the hour mark however neither bothered Spencer.
Diani steered one other header large within the 66th minute and Eugenie Le Sommer drew one other save out of Spencer 10 minutes later because the rain cascaded down on the Sydney Football Stadium.
Outstanding left again Deneisha Blackwood led the best way as Jamaica stored to their process, nevertheless, and held on because the French lofted cross after cross into their field in a frenetic end.
Shaw, who had been a relentless thorn in France’s aspect, was despatched off for a deal with on Renard deep within the France half, her second yellow card offence of the match.
