Jamaica arrived at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup as heroes.

By holding World Cup host France to a draw today, Nigeria could’ve secured passage to the Round of 16 for the first time since 1999. For close to 80 minutes, that looked like the Super Falcons destiny. 

Step forward the VAR.

First, the referee looked at the monitor to review a collision in Nigeria’s box between Ngozi Ebere and Viviane Asseyi. The ref decided it was a penalty and sent Ebere off for her second bookable offense. 

The draw for the 2019 Women’s World Cup really couldn’t have been unkinder for Thailand. Not only did the world’s 34th-ranked side land the defending world champion, they also got the last team to defeat the USWNT at a major international tournament, Sweden.

Things, of course, got off to a historically bad start when surrendering 13 unanswered goals to the U.S. to begin group play, and things weren’t looking pretty again today when trailing Sweden 4-0 in the 81st minute. 

The USWNT defeated Chile 3-0 on Sunday with all three goals coming in the first half. Coincidentally, that was the exact same score at halftime of the Thailand game before the U.S. added 10 more over the course of the second 45. The score could’ve certainly approached that today, but for Chile goalkeeper Christiane Endler. 

The 27-year-old, who plays for PSG, certainly appeared comfortable at the Parc des Princes while pulling off a string of stunning saves to keep the USWNT at bay in front of 45,594 appreciative spectators.

After trouncing Thailand 13-0 to begin FIFA Women’s World Cup play, the question facing the USWNT heading into Sunday’s match against Chile was both how many goals they’d score and — uh oh — how they’d celebrate those goals.

CJ Bott was in clear pain. Replay showed why.

The New Zealand right back’s arm was gruesomely bent back by a cross from Canada’s Janine Beckie in the 14th of their Group E match on Saturday. After a lengthy delay to stabilize the arm, Bott was taken off the pitch and replaced by Annalie Longo.

Bott was able to walk off under her own power, but she was visibly upset, shouting “F*ck!” as she exited the field, cast over her lower arm. 

Slow-motion replays show just how far back her arm bent backward when it was struck by Beckie’s cross. 

Vivianne Miedema is 22. She’s now the Netherlands’ all-time leading goal scorer.

Miedema netted a brace in a 3-1 victory over Cameroon in Group E action at the Women’s World Cup on Saturday. She now has 60 goals for the Leeuwinnen, passing Manon Melis for most all-time for the Dutch. 

More importantly, for the short term at least, the Netherlands clinched qualification to the Round of 16 by moving to six points ahead of its Group E finale against Canada.