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Jamaica coach says team prepared for a "boxing match" with Colombia.

Jamaica coach says team prepared for a "boxing match" with Colombia.

Alkass Digital

Coach Lorne Donaldson says Jamaica are prepared for a "boxing match" with Colombia in Tuesday's Women's World Cup last-16 tie in Melbourne.

Both sides were among the biggest surprises from the group stages, with Jamaica progressing at the expense of Brazil, while Colombia won Group H.

Donaldson wants his side to give their all as they aim to book a quarter-final against England or Nigeria.

"We won't change much, but we will give it a good shot," he said.

"This is like a boxing match, someone will go down. We want to be standing when the game is over."

Jamaica's passage to the knock-out stages was built on defence, as they are the only team yet to concede a goal at the World Cup.

They have only scored once, through defender Allyson Swaby in their 1-0 victory over Panama, between goalless draws against France and Brazil which secured second place in Group F.

"A lack of goals is not a major concern," added Donaldson. "We have played some good teams, two of the top teams, we were supposed to lose by six or seven.

"We so have to try to score to win this game, so we will put our best foot forward."

Colombia are set to start 18-year-old defender Ana Maria Guzman in place of the suspended Manuela Vanegas.

She will be the second 18-year-old is Colombia's likely XI, alongside Linda Caicedo.

"This is a great opportunity," Guzman said. "To be in such a national team is a blessing, to give my best for national team and team mates.

"Yes, we are the youngest players, but on the pitch we are very skilled."

Rachel Brown-Finnis' prediction

Colombia have been my surprise team of the tournament so far, and they fully deserve to be in the last 16.

They've been brilliantly organised and have come up with some big moments in attack - their last-gasp winner against Germany was technically excellent, in the way it was created and scored.

Jamaica have shown a lot of resolve too, but Colombia have more ideas when it comes to unlocking the opposition.

Brown-Finnis' prediction: 2-0

Key stats

This is Colombia's second time in the last 16 of the Women's World Cup, having also made the first knockout round on debut since 2015.

Jamaica are the first Caribbean nation to play in the knockout stages of a Fifa World Cup - male or female - since Cuba in 1938.

The Reggae Girlz are only the third side from the Concacaf region to reach the Women's World Cup knockouts, after USA and Canada.

These two sides are the last remaining representatives from their respective federations (Colombia from Conmebol, Jamaica from Concacaf) at this World Cup.

Jamaica did not concede in any of their three group games. In 2019, making their Women's World Cup debut, they conceded 12 goals in three matches.