Women's World Cup 2019: Cristiana Girelli hat trick leads Italy past Jamaica

Jamie Smith

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Women's World Cup 2019: Cristiana Girelli hat trick leads Italy past Jamaica image

Cristiana Girelli scored her country's second ever Women's World Cup hat trick as Italy thumped Jamaica 5-0 to secure qualification for the last 16.

Jamaica fell 3-0 to Brazil in its opener and the World Cup debutants were outclassed again in Reims on Friday, with Aurora Galli also netting twice after coming off the bench in the second half.

Girelli opened the scoring with a twice-taken penalty, then doubled Italy's lead with a bundled finish from a corner.

American-born goalkeeper Sydney Schneider badly misjudged a cross, allowing Girelli to follow in Carolina Morace's footsteps by claiming the match ball before Galli struck twice as Milena Bertolini's team moved three points clear of Brazil and Australia, while Jamaica were left rooted to the bottom of Group C.

Italy's fastest World Cup goal came in the 12th minute, though it was not without controversy. Allyson Swaby needlessly challenged Barbara Bonansea with a penalty awarded following a VAR check.

Schneider, a 19-year-old New Jersey native, saved Girelli's weak kick by diving low to her left, but she was adjudged to have moved off her line and the penalty was retaken with the goalkeeper, who was booked for the infringement, then sent the wrong way.

It was 2-0 in the 25th minute as Girelli arrived at the back post to score after Bonansea touched on a right-wing corner from Manuela Giugliano that caused chaos in the Jamaica box.

Jamaica's inexperience — the country named the youngest XI at this World Cup with an average age of 22 years and 251 days — proved its undoing again when Girelli headed in her third goal.

Schneider had impressed against Brazil, again saving a penalty, but she made a mess of another right-wing cross from Giugliano, with Girelli on hand to complete a perfect hat trick.

Galli beat Schneider with a rocket from 20 yards before the substitute was fed by Giugliano and rounded the goalkeeper to score a late fifth as Italy reached the last 16.

Jamie Smith