Women's World Cup: South Africa & Jamaica pull off shock results to reach knockouts

The penultimate day of group stage games at the 2023 Women's World Cup produced many incredible moments as underdogs rose up against established giants.

The conclusions of Group F and Group G are in the books, but neither went to script as Jamaica and South Africa respectively stepped up to write their own history. Panama also had a good go, although it wasn't to be for Argentina.

South Africa 3-2 Italy - Group G

South Africa went home from the 2019 World Cup without a point to their name. But from the get-go in New Zealand they were competitive, running Sweden close in game one and only denied a first ever World Cup win by a surprise second half collapse against Argentina.

The icing on the cake came when Thembi Kgatlana's 92nd minute goal beat Italy. Not only was it the win they have craved, it has put them into the last 16 at Italy's expense.

Italy had initially taken the lead through Arianna Caruso, only for an own goal and one midway through the second half from Hildah Magaia to put South Africa ahead. Caruso looked to have done enough to send Italy through when she equalised, until Kgatlana struck in stoppage time.

The Banyana Banyana were in dispute with their own football federation over payments mere weeks ago, with first-team stars boycotting a warm-up match against Botswana. In such difficult circumstances, it only makes their achievements on the pitch even more impressive.

"Over the last two weeks, I've lost three family members. I could have gone home but I chose to stay with my girls. Because that's how much it means," Kgatlana said.

For Italy, this is nothing short of disastrous. They had a good tournament in 2019, reaching the quarter-finals after a 20-year absence from the World Cup and showing signs of potential to return to their powerhouse status of the 1980s. But Euro 2022 finished without a win, while their only win here was decided by a late goal against an Argentina who never won a World Cup game.

Argentina 0-2 Sweden - Group G

Sweden had already booked their place in the knockout rounds prior to kick-off, while only an improbable goal difference swing would have stopped them winning the group. It didn't happen.

It was a rotated Sweden team and the first hour of the game was a competitive spectacle in which Argentina pressed well and refused to given their illustrious European opponents time to breathe. But it was never likely to last, with Sweden's superior quality eventually shining through.

Rebecka Blomqvist's close-range finish midway through the second half put Sweden ahead, before Elin Rubensson settled things from the penalty spot in the 90th minute.

The Swedes will now face the United States in the last 16 after the Americans surprisingly failed to win Group E. It is the sixth consecutive World Cup in which they will have played each other.

Argentina were always going to struggled in this group and return home with a point, which a slightly worse return than the two points they collected in 2019. They are still without a World Cup win in 12 games over a period of 20 years, with this their fourth tournament.

READ MORE ON THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

Jamaica 0-0 Brazil - Group F

Much like South Africa, Jamaica arrived at this World Cup looking to build on a 2019 debut that saw them eliminated at the group stage without a point. But also like South Africa, they have had to battle with their own federation.

To get through, the Reggae Girlz needed to avoid defeat, easier said than done against a Brazil who had started the tournament in such fine by tering Panama apart. But for the possession and chances that Marta and co. created, Jamaica stood firm. They didn't offer much attacking threat with Khadija Shaw well marshalled, but no team has yet scored against them.

Goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer made saves when necessary, but it was ultimately a case of Brazil huffing and puffing, and still failing to blow the house down.

At the age of 37, Marta's World Cup career is now over, denied the chance to become the first player to score in six different tournaments - either male or female.

Brazil coach Pia Sundhage took the blame upon herself: "At the end of the day, I'm responsible for the result. Of course I'm not alone, but the way we have worked and have prepared is something I need to look back on and see if we could have done things differently. We put in a lot of work, but at the end of the day it's Jamaica [who progress]. It's not a big distance between failure and success."

Jamaica boss Lorne Donaldson said the attitude in hs team has shifted since 2019.

"We were very young and happy to be there [in 2019]," he said. "This time, we said, 'Hey, we're not just going to show up. We're going to get out of the group.' Our mentality was that nothing is impossible."

Panama 3-6 France - Group F

France got more than the point they needed to progress to the last 16, although there was more going on than might have been expected in a game that provided the most goals (9) seen over 90 minutes so far at this World Cup - it was actually over 105 minutes with all the stoppage time.

Panama briefly threatened another unthinkable upset when Marta Cox scored a stunning free-kick to register their first ever World Cup goal. But five unanswered France goals that included a hat-trick from the previously profligate Kadidiatou Diani put Herve Renard's Bleues out of sight.

Panama did pull it back to 5-3 in the second half, with Vicki Becho adding France's sixth goal in the 100th minute of the match.

There is something of an irony that Panama scored three times more goals than Jamaica and finished bottom of the group. That being said, they also conceded 11 more.