GRENOBLE, France, CMC – Norway-based midfielder Havana Solaun netted Jamaica’s first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup goal but that piece of history was overshadowed by Samantha Kerr’s ruthless quadruple as the Reggae Girlz crashed to a 4-1 defeat in their final Women’s World Cup match on Tuesday.
Playing at the Stades des Alpes, the 26-year-old Solaun struck in the 49th minute after entering the contest as a half-time substitute, to pull one back for the Reggae Girlz who trailed 2-0 at the break.
However, Kerr then scored twice in the second half to restore Australia’s two-goal cushion and see the Matildas through to the next round of the competition.
Jamaica, meanwhile, lost all three of their group games in their first-ever World Cup to end bottom of Group C, going down 3-0 to Brazil in their opener before losing 5-0 to Italy in their second game.
Seeking to end their campaign on a high, Jamaica’s hopes were dented as early as the 11th minute when Kerr peeled away from her defensive marker Chantelle Swaby and headed in Emily Gielnik’s floated cross from the left side.
Kerr continued to terrorise the Reggae Girls backline with her movement and doubled Australia’s lead three minutes before the break, this time finding herself in acres of space to once again beat goalkeeper Nicole McLure.
Jamaica’s moment came four minutes after the resumption when Khadija “Bunny” Shaw produced a driving run out of midfield and released a defense-splitting through ball. Solaun beat the off-side trap, rounded the advancing goalkeeper and calmly rolled the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from eight yards out.
Kerr grabbed her third in the 69th minute, stabbing home from close range after Jamaica’s defense failed to clear. And Jamaica gifted her a record fourth goal seven minutes from the end when McLure made a hash of Konya Plummer’s back pass, for the 25-year-old to pounce from close range.
