SYDNEY, Australia -- Navarro's two-time NJCAA All-American Deneisha Blackwood earned FIFA Player Of The Match honors during Jamaica's scoreless draw with France and helped the Reggae Girlz secure their first-ever World Cup points Sunday in front of 39,045 fans at Sydney Football Stadium.

Blackwood, playing at left back, sparked underdog Jamaica's intense, physical play in the Group F opener and denied fifth-ranked France, a squad that last year was a European Championship semifinalist. The compact defense that helped goalkeeper Rachel Spencer to stifle the French included three Jamaicans who ply their trade in the French Leagues – Blackwood (GPSO 92 Issy), and sisters Chantelle Swaby (FC Fleury 91) and Alison Swaby (Paris Saint-Germain).

The Jamaicans celebrated Sunday's tie and first point as if they won the tournament – despite losing captain Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw to a red card during stoppage time – an infraction that will prevent her from playing in Jamaica's next match against Panama on Saturday in Perth, Australia.

Shaw and France's Wendie Renard clashed heads in the opening minutes. Both returned to the pitch after brief medical attention, but physical play between the top stars continued.

France fashioned a move in the 36th minute, but Spencer blunted Renard's corner try.

Les Bleus imposed more pressure during the second half, but Spencer turned away shots from Diani and midfielder Sandie Tolleti. In the 66th minute, Diani's header floated wide. Ten minutes later, Spencer stopped Eugenie LeSommer's shot.

Jamaica coach Lorne Donaldson didn't temper the magnitude of Sunday's draw, calling it Jamaica's finest football moment.

"I would say it is the number one result we have had so far. I think it's the number one I have seen, men or women. I would put it there," he said. "Just looking at the ranking, that result on this stage has to be number one."

Blackwood was the center of celebration Sunday.

She first represented her country at the Under-17 level in 2011, and made her senior debut at the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championships. She was part of the 2019 Jamaican club that became the first Caribbean team to compete in FIFA Women's World Cup Play. Sunday, she and her Jamaican teammates celebrate a point – and point toward another opportunity for more Wednesday.

Her junior college coach, Jamaican-born Alicia Wilson, was thrilled.

"We are so proud of her," said Wilson, a defender who represented Jamaica in international play between 1999 and 2014. "She was always hard working and dedicated."

Blackwood finished sixth in career goal scoring (36) at Navarro (2015 and 2016) before transferring to The University of West Florida, where she earned second-team Gulf States Conference honors for coach Joe Bartlinski. In 2019, Blackwood first played left back for Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic's First Division. Later she played professionally with the WPSL's Florida Krush and the NWSL's Orlando Pride and Houston Dash.