FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: How Jamaica’s defence has powered them through to the Round of 16 – scout report

This iteration of the FIFA Womens World Cup has been truly special, with many of the top-ranked teams crashing out in the group stages. The decision to expand to a 32-team tournament has seen a number of the tournament underdogs advance into the last 16 of the tournament at the expense of more established sides. 

Jamaica provides a shining example of this, with the side finishing second in a group of France, Brazil and Panama. The key to their qualification for the Round of 16 has been, without a doubt, their impenetrable defence, with the side one of three teams yet to concede a goal at the tournament, with WSL goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer the first Jamaican goalkeeper to keep three clean sheets at the World Cup. The tenacity and fighting spirit of the side is not at all a surprise. Still, their defensive capabilities somewhat are, as in February, the side conceded nine goals in three games in the Cup of Nations group stages.

This scout report and analysis will provide a tactical analysis of the strengths of Jamaicas defence, why France and Brazil could not get the better of their defensive tactics, and a few potential weaknesses that Colombia may look to exploit in their round of 16 clash. 

Jamaicas dominance in the wide areas 

From very early on in Jamaicas game against France, the theme of the first half could be seen. The image below shows Jamaicas set-up in a 4-4-2, with the front two of Khadija Shaw, who plays for Manchester City in the WSL and Atlanta Primus, not particularly aggressive in pressing Frances centre-back pairing and only looking to engage if the opposition centre-backs looked to advance the ball into the space ahead of them.

France set up in a 4-2-4, with either their full-backs advancing further up the pitch or the ball near full-back advancing further and the other remaining slightly deeper. Playing with two strikers and their wingers inverting, France would create 1v1s against each player in the last line of Jamaicas defence. By positioning their full-backs and using only two midfielders, it was clear that France would look to progress the ball down the flanks. 

However, trying to progress the ball through the wide areas directly influences Jamaicas formations structural strengths. Due to the front twos lack of defensive aggression, they were often in positions where they could drop deeper to cover one of Frances two midfielders.

As seen in the example below, after the ball is played to the opposition left-back, Shaw drops deeper to press the opposition midfielder. As a result, cover is not reduced in the second line of defence as none of the midfielders are forced to step up and engage the opposition midfielder. Jody Kimone Brown, Jamaicas left-winger, in their game against France, showed good awareness of the space between her and the left central midfielder, Vyan Sampson.

Brown, responsible for pressing the opposition r