Lorne Donaldson hailed “the number one result”

Jamaica manager Lorne Donaldson hailed “the number one result” in his country’s football history after they held France, one of the favourites for the Fifa Women’s World Cup, to a goalless draw.

This was Jamaica’s first point at a Women’s World Cup – and it came against a side 38 places higher in the Fifa rankings.

“It’s a real victorious feeling for us,” said player of the match Deneisha Blackwood, while her manager hailed it as the greatest football result for any Jamaica team.

“I would say it is the number one result we have had so far,” said Donaldson. “The number one result, men or women.

“Just look at the rankings. You would say this result, on this stage, has to be number one.”

France, meanwhile, must now regroup for their meeting with fellow Group F favourites Brazil on 29 July.

They came close to scoring in the first half when Kadidiatou Diani had a near-post drive scooped away by Becky Spencer before a deflected effort which flashed past the post.

Diani then twice headed narrowly wide before hitting the crossbar and post late in the second half, but Jamaica were roared on to a draw by the locals and neutrals as the latest smaller nation to impress at these finals.

• ‘No-one believes in us, but Jamaica aimed to shock world’
• Quiz: What do you know about the past 24 hours at the World Cup?

French optimism dampened in Sydney rain

Having fallen at the quarter-finals in the past three World Cups, this has been pegged as the tournament for France to go deeper.

After the tempestuous Corinne Diacre reign – ended in March when captain Wendie Renard and several team mates threated not to play at the World Cup at all – good feeling had returned around the French camp under new manager Renard.

But they were blunted in Sydney by a Jamaica defence which pressed hard and well, although the manager called for calm and perspective.

“I’ve won competitions after drawing the first games,” he said. “I don’t think we should be getting ahead of ourselves. What’s important is to be solid. We are going to look to find and gain what we came to do.

“I wasn’t satisfied after the first half, but congratulated them after the second. Sometimes in these games you have to be happy with a draw, rather than being ambushed by the other team.”

Renard masterminded Saudi Arabia’s shock win over Argentina at the men’s World Cup last year, but said there was no comparison here despite finding himself on the other side of an upset.

“We deserved to win; they didn’t get any chances,” he said. “They did their best, played a good game, but [it] was completely different.”

Jamaica joy punctured by Shaw red

In attack, Jamaica had one tactic – hit main striker Shaw as soon as possible. Given the talents of ‘Bunny’, who scored 31 goals in 30 games last season for Manchester City, their approach was not surprising.

Her presence alone was enough to stop France throwing too much forward, and a 35-yard free-kick fired inches wide in the first half showed her skills.

But she was also booked for a late tackle on Sakina Karchaoui in the first half, before a clumsy challenge on Wendie Renard in the frantic dying seconds saw her sent off.

Having already gone better than their Women’s World Cup debut in 2019 – where they lost all three matches – Jamaica know victory over Panama in their next match will give them genuine hope of a last-16 place.

But losing their captain, top scorer and talisman for that game is a blow.

“Yeah, it’s tough,” Spencer said of losing Shaw for the Panama match. “Obviously we know what she brings.

“But what I do know is we have other strikers that can cause a threat. They are good up there too so I’m confident they will come in and do a great job.”

Reports /TrainViral/