Women’s World Cup 2019: Cristiane, Formiga set records in Brazil's big win over Jamaica

John Skilbeck

Women’s World Cup 2019: Cristiane, Formiga set records in Brazil's big win over Jamaica image

Cristiane became the oldest player to score a hat trick in a World Cup on a record-breaking day for Brazil as it beat Jamaica 3-0.

Teammate Formiga became the oldest player to appear in the women's finals, at the age of 41 years and 98 days, and also the first to appear in seven editions of the tournament.

And it was a successful day for all involved with Brazil as it strolled to victory, with Cristiane the star of the show in Grenoble.

Her treble gave the 34-year-old a new status in the oldest hat trick hero in any World Cup, breaking records set previously by Cristiano Ronaldo and Carli Lloyd.

Brazil had won all seven of their previous Women's World Cup opening games and only the brilliance of Jamaica's goalkeeper Sydney Schneider prevented the scoreline from being even more emphatic.

Cristiane opened the scoring in the 15th minute and, after Andressa had missed a chance to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot, doubled Brazil's advantage five minutes into the second half before a superb free kick completed her treble, after which she was immediately substituted.

Schneider, a 19-year-old American-born goalkeeper studying at the University of North Carolina, was handed her place after coaches learned she had Jamaican grandparents on her mother's side.

In the first half she saved brilliantly twice from Debinha, though Cristiane's precise header from Andressa's cross was too good for the Jamaica number one.

Schneider did, however, produce heroics by diving to keep out Andressa's spot kick, awarded for a handball by Allyson Swaby.

Jamaica's only real threat came from their star forward Khadija Shaw, who fired one spectacular drive that Brazil goalkeeper Barbara did supremely well to prevent finding the top-right corner.

For once Schneider was caught out early in the second half, unable to reach a low cross from Andressa, who steered the ball in from the right and Cristiane slid in to finish.

Her hat-trick goal was the pick of the bunch, a sublime free-kick swept left-footed beyond the Jamaica wall and in off the underside of the crossbar to cap off a wonderful individual display.

Key Opta Facts

— Brazil's victory over Jamaica was its first win in any competition since July 2018 (2-1 vs. Japan), halting a run of nine consecutive defeats before today.

— Brazil has maintained its record of winning 100 percent of its opening World Cup matches. Indeed, it has won these eight games by an aggregate score of 23-1.

— Following Jamaica's defeat, each of the last six sides playing in their first ever Women's World Cup match have now failed to win (D2 L4 — also South Africa, Spain, Costa Rica, Switzerland and Ecuador).

—  Cristiane has now scored 10 World Cup goals; only Marta (15) has netted more such goals for Brazil's women's national team.

—​ Cristiane's treble is the first by a Brazilian in a Women's World Cup match since June 1999, when both Sissi and Pretinha scored hat tricks in Brazil's 7-1 victory over Mexico.

 

John Skilbeck