Five-star Sweden crush Italy to reach World Cup last 16

Wellington, July 30:Towering defender Amanda Ilestedt scored twice with her head to help Sweden to a 5-0 thrashing of Italy on Saturday and a berth in the Women’s World Cup last 16.

A tight contest was blown open in a seven-minute spell late in the first half when the third-ranked Swedes found the net three times, through Ilestedt, Fridolina Rolfo and Stina Blackstenius.

Arsenal centre-back Ilestedt bagged her second soon after the interval to give her three goals for the tournament -- all headers from corners -- including a late match-winner in their opening 2-1 defeat of South Africa. Substitute Rebecka Blomqvist rounded out the rout in stoppage time in front of nearly 30,000 in Wellington.

The Swedes are assured of finishing in the top two of Group G, becoming the third team to book a place in the knockout stage after Spain and Japan.

Their set-piece prowess was on full show, with three of the goals coming from left-footed inswinging corners delivered by Jonna Andersson. Sixteenth-ranked Italy had no answer to the aerial threat of Ilestedt in particular and went to halftime shellshocked after enjoying the better of the early stages.

Having opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over Argentina, Italy’s tournament will be over if they lose their final group match against South Africa on Wednesday.

South Africa and Argentina secured their first point with a 2-2 draw on Friday.

The Swedes began to gel and the floodgates opened in the 39th minute when the 1.78-metre Ilestedt leapt to glance home Andersson’s pinpoint corner.

Barcelona star Rolfo, who was a doubt for the game with a knee niggle, bagged her second goal of the tournament when Italy couldn’t clear from another corner.

Arsenal striker Blackstenius made it three in first-half stoppage time when she stabbed home after Johanna Kaneryd’s cross wasn’t cleared. Le Azzure’s defence was beaten again by a leaping Ilestedt five minutes after the break.

As Italy wilted, Blomqvist went through on goal one on one for number five.

Renard leads France to victory

Captain Wendie Renard struck a late winner as France kickstarted their Women’s World Cup campaign with a 2-1 win over Brazil in a heavyweight Group F clash in Brisbane on Saturday.

After a lacklustre 0-0 draw with Jamaica in their opening game, France defied the Brazilian team and most of the 49,378 crowd to secure three vital points ahead of their final group match against tournament debutants Panama. The French, who controlled much of the game, took an early lead through veteran striker Eugenie Le Sommer.

Brazil hit back to equalise in the second half through Debinha, but Renard appeared at the back post to head in an 83rd-minute winner from a corner. On a perfect Brisbane evening, the French had the better of a lively first half, with their attacking duo of Le Sommer and Kadidiatou Diani causing the Brazilian defence all sorts of problems.

Le Sommer went close in the 13th minute only to be denied by a diving one-handed save from Brazil goalkeeper Leticia.

But four minutes later she was not to be denied as Sakina Karchaoui put in a long diagonal cross which Diani helped on for an unmarked Le Sommer to head in her 90th international goal. Brazil struggled to put any real pressure on the French defence and they deserved to take the lead into the break.

However, Brazil came back into the game in the second half and were rewarded when Debinha latched onto a deflected shot from Kerolin and fired the ball past goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin to level proceedings. With time running out France struck again to secure a crucial victory.

Selma Bacha swung in a corner from the right seven minutes from time and Renard – who had been a pre-match injury doubt – appeared unmarked at the far post to head home and put her team on course for the knockout phase.

Jamaica claim first win

Jamaica won a Women’s World Cup match for the first time with a deserved 1-0 victory over debutants Panama on Saturday to close on a place in the last 16. Skipper Allyson Swaby headed in from a corner early in the second half to give Jamaica their first victory at a World Cup at the fifth attempt.

Having held France to a 0-0 draw in their opening match, the Reggae Girlz sit second in Group F with four points from two games, level on points with the French. Jamaica face Brazil, beaten 2-1 by France on Saturday, on Wednesday knowing they only need a point to claim a landmark spot in the last 16.

It comes against the backdrop of rows with the Jamaican football federation over a lack of support for the team and unpaid expenses. Panama, who are making their debut appearance at the World Cup, are out. (AFP)