As the group stage at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup winds down, Wednesday proved to be yet another dramatic day at the competition.
The Reggae Girlz from Jamaica earned historic qualification to the knockouts, sending Brazil crashing out of the tournament. While France beat Panama 6-3 in a high-scoring affair in Sydney.
Here are more of the headlines from the day's action down under:
- Jamaica's manager calls team's knockout round qualification "one of the best feelings I’ve had in my life": The Reggae Girlz reached the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time in the country's history thanks to a gutsy draw against Brazil, a game which manager Lorne Donaldson called a "war." The result, coupled with the other Group F game between France and Panama, meant the team advanced as runner-up and will face the winner of Group H in the next round.
- Brazil's greatest female footballer played in her final World Cup: Brazilian striker Marta, now 37, has concluded what will be her sixth and final World Cup. She is considered by many – perhaps even most – to be the greatest female footballer of all time. On Wednesday, Jamaica sent Brazil home with a stunning 0-0 draw in the teams' final group-stage match. Prior to the tournament Brazil's all-time record goal scorer said this would be her final World Cup appearance for her country.
- France tops Group F with goals galore in win over Panama: It looked a bit shaky at the beginning, but France overcame any issues to book its place in the last 16 of the Women's World Cup with its 6-3 victory over Panama. Marta Cox's stunning free kick put Panama up early on, but France recovered quickly by scoring five unanswered to take control of the match. Kadidiatou Diani was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick to become the first female French player to do so at the World Cup.
- South Africa and Italy played out a thriller: South Africa and Italy played arguably the game of the tournament so far, featuring end-to-end action, a bizarre own goal and a stoppage-time winner. South Africa's 3-2 victory saw the team finish second in Group G and reach the knockout stages for the first time ever thanks to Thembi Kgatlana's late goal. Italy, meanwhile, would have progressed in the tournament with a win or a draw, but instead goes home in heartbreaking fashion.
- Sweden advances to face the US next round: Sweden eased to a 2-0 win over Argentina, setting up a clash with the US on Sunday. The US women were inches away from being knocked out of the tournament in a huge World Cup scare for the Americans against Portugal earlier this week.