August 7, 2023 Colombia makes history with Jamaica win, France dominates Morocco 4-0

Jamaica may have lost its knockout game against Colombia earlier today, but it won the respect of the country’s greatest ever athlete.

Eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, writing on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), said the team “made us all proud.”

The Reggae Girlz defeated Panama and tied against France and Brazil on the way to reaching the last-16 for the first time in history.

Selma Bacha of France, center, competes for the ball against Ghizlane Chebbak and Nouhaila Benzina of Morocco during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between France and Morocco at Hindmarsh Stadium on August 8, in Adelaide, Australia.

The anthems have been sung and the first half has now kicked off in Adelaide.

This year’s Women’s World Cup has been a tournament of upsets so far and Morocco will hope to stage another surprising result by beating the European powerhouse.

The Atlas Lionesses are bidding for history, while their opponent will want to start stamping its authority on this World Cup.

All to play for and a fascinating 90 minutes, at least, awaits.

The last round-of-16 match at this year’s tournament will see France play Morocco in Adelaide.

The Moroccans will be looking to win their first knockout game at a Women’s World Cup, while the French will look to use their experience to keep their title dreams alive.

The winner earns a ticket to the quarterfinals where it will play co-host Australia.

France starting 11:

Goalkeeper: Pauline Peyraud-Magnin

Defense: Wendie Renard, Élisa De Almeida, Sakina Karchaoui, Ève Périsset

Midfield: Sandie Toletti, Grace Geyoro, Selma Bacha, Kenza Dali

Forwards: Eugénie Le Sommer, Kadidiatou Diani

Morocco starting 11:

Goalkeeper: Khadija Er-Rmichi

Defense: Zineb Redouani, Nouhaila Benzina, Nesryne El Chad, Hanane Aït El Haj

Midfield: Élodie Nakkach, Ghizlane Chebbak, Fatima Tagnaout, Sakina Ouzraoui

Forwards: Ibtissam Jraïdi, Anissa Lahmari

Colombia’s 1-0 victory against Jamaica earned the country a place in the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time.

The hard-fought win against a difficult Jamaica team means Las Cafeteras continue to fly the flag for South American football after early exits for Brazil and Argentina.

“I believe this moment is unique for Colombian women’s football history, for South America,” Colombia’s head coach Nelson Abadía told FIFA.

“Equally, this is the triumph of a human group that has worked hard to achieve consistency, to have a trade, character, personality … and today, we played and won well.”

Barring Morocco, which faces France in the final round-of-16 game, Colombia is the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition.

But after victories against South Korea, Germany, and now Jamaica, it will be undaunted by the prospect of facing European champion England in the quarterfinals.

“So many things are going through my head that I can’t describe what I am feeling because it’s a lot of years of work, years of fighting, of everything … of falling and then getting back up,” goalscorer Catalina Usme told FIFA.

“Today, we took a step to a very important stage … It’s incredible.”

Zineb Redouani and Ines Arouaissa of Morocco celebrate advancing to the knock out stage after the 1-0 victory against Colombia at Perth Rectangular Stadium on August 3, 2023 in Perth, Australia.

Ghizlane Chebbak was shocked when she picked up the phone and was greeted by Mohammed VI, the King of Morocco.

When the call came, it was just hours after Morocco’s defeat by South Africa in the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final. Captain of the Morocco women’s national team, Chebbak could only watch her opposing captain lift the trophy and then had to be taken to the stage to be given the player of the tournament award.

“[King Mohammed VI] said he was so proud of the team, don’t cry, we’re happy for you,” Khadija Illa, who is president of the National Women’s Football League, told CNN after the match.

It was a high point of Chebbak’s winding career, one that now inspires countless girls across the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Read more here.

Morocco fans celebrate after qualifying for the knockout stages of the World Cup, after watching the Group H match between Morocco and Colombia at a fan park in Melbourne, Australia.

Morocco's Anissa Lahmari celebrates after scoring her sides first goal against Colombia during the match in Perth, Australia, on August 3, 2023.

The Women’s World Cup’s final last-16 game sees Group F winner France take on Group H runner-up Morocco.

Morocco is the only one of the eight Women’s World Cup debutants at this tournament to have qualified for the knockout stage, becoming the first Arab nation to have achieved the feat.

Two 1-0 victories for the Atlas Lionesses saw them through to the last 16, setting up the monumental task of a clash against France.

France's Kadidiatou Diani celebrates after scoring her side's fifth goal from a penalty kick during the match against Panama at Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney, Australia, on August 2, 2023.

Les Bleues have looked one of the best teams at the competition, improving as the tournament has gone on; they finished their group campaign with a 6-3 thumping of Panama.

The victory confirmed France’s spot in the knockout phases for the fourth Women’s World Cup in a row and with a team full of top-level talent, will be looking to finally get over the hump and win the trophy for the first time in its history.

The winner of France vs Morocco will face Australia in the quarterfinals.

Daniela Arias, Monica Ramos and Daniela Montoya of Colombia celebrate the team's 1-0 victory and advance to the quarter final.

Full-time in Melbourne and it’s history for Colombia — a first ever quarterfinal at the Women’s World Cup.

Finally, Jamaica’s rear-guard has been broken, conceding for the first time this tournament through Catalina Usme’s second-half strike.

The Reggae Girlz have enjoyed a fairytale run over the past two-and-a-half weeks, progressing to knockout stages for the first time ahead of Brazil.

The recent history of this team — which features a fundraising campaign and the support of Bob Marley’s daughter — has captured the imagination of neutral fans, but Jamaica’s tournament ends with a 1-0 defeat here.

As for Las Cafeteras, they fully deserved their victory today, becoming only the second South American nation to win a Women’s World Cup knockout game after Brazil.

European champion England now awaits in the final eight on Saturday.

Jamaica's Tiernny Wiltshire reacts to her side's loss at the end of the match.

Colombia's Leicy Santos heads at goal and hits the post.

The game has opened up now and Colombia almost takes a 2-0 lead.

Leicy Santos met a cross at the back post, but her header hit the woodwork before bouncing back out in the 86th minute.

A brilliant attempt but just directed fractionally too wide. The goalkeeper was truly beaten.

Jamaica, which is starting to create more chances now, doesn’t have long left to find an equalizer.

Colombia's goalkeeper Catalina Perez in action.

That goal was exactly what this game needed.

It’s really opened up now as Jody Brown has a fantastic scoring opportunity for Jamaica at the back post but can’t quite get the ball under control.

Colombia then launches an attack of its own and Linda Caicedo is put through on goal. Her shot is saved by Becky Spencer, but it makes little difference as she was later ruled offside anyway.

Jamaica has only scored once (against Panama) so far this tournament and now desperately needs a goal to reach the quarterfinals.

This game has come to life in Melbourne.

Colombia's Catalina Usme celebrates scoring their first goal.

We have lift off in Melbourne, as Colombia takes a 1-0 lead.

Catalina Usme is the scorer and the striker does well to bring a cross under control before firing her shot into the corner of the net in the 51st minute.

It’s also the first time Jamaica has conceded at this tournament.

This game needed a goal and, now, it finally has one.

Colombia's Catalina Usme, center, scores her side's first goal.