World Cup: 3 from Group C advance
Italy tops group, followed by Australia and Brazil
Marta set a record for men and women with her 17th career World Cup goal in Brazil’s 1-0 victory over Italy on Tuesday night in Valenciennes, France, that advanced the Selecao to the knockout rounds for the sixth straight time.
The 33-year-old forward, playing in her fifth World Cup, scored on a penalty kick in the 74th minute at Stade du Hainaut, sending a line drive to the left of goalkeeper Laura Giuliani after Debinha was fouled by Elena Linari.
It was the second goal of the tournament for Marta, and both have been on penalty kicks. Her goal against Australia last Thursday tied the record set in the men’s World Cup by Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 World Cup goals for Germany from 2002 to 2014. The United States’ Abby Wambach and Germany’s Birgit Prinz are tied for second among women with 14 each.
Marta is the only player, male or female, to score in five World Cups.
Brazil had needed only a draw to advance. Italy won Group C on goal difference over Australia and Brazil as all three nations finished with 2-1 records and six points. Le Azzurre will play a third-place team in the round of 16 on Tuesday.
Australia, which finished second, meets Norway on Saturday.
Brazil wound up third and will play Germany on Saturday or host France on Sunday.
❚ Australia 4, Jamaica 1: Sam Kerr scored four goals, one shy of the World Cup record and the most by an Australian, in a 4-1 victory over Jamaica on Tuesday night in Grenoble that advanced the Matildas into the knockout rounds.
Kerr tied American Alex Morgan for the tournament lead with five goals.
Australia advanced to the Round of 16 for the fourth consecutive tournament following three straight quarterfinal eliminations. The Matildas finished second in Group C and will face Norway in Nice on Saturday on the first day of the Round of 16.
Kerr scored on a header off Emily Gielnik’s cross in the 11th minute, doubled the lead with another header in the 42nd and completed the hat trick in the 69th. She scored again in the 83rd minute to give her 36 goals in 80 international appearances.
Australia had stumbled at the start of the tournament with a loss to Italy but rebounded with a comefrom-behind victory over Brazil.
Lisa De Vanna made her 150th international appearance, one shy of the Australian record set by Cheryl Salisbury.
Jamaica got its first World Cup goal when Havana Solaun scored in the 49th. The first Caribbean nation to make the World Cup, Jamaica lost all three matches and was outscored 12-1. But the Reggae Girlz won hearts in France with their underdog story: Disbanded more than a decade ago, the team was revived in 2014 by Bob Marley’s daughter Cedella.