Women's World Cup: Vadao unsure over Marta's return

Marta missed Brazil's 3-0 defeat of Jamaica, in which Cristiane scored a hat-trick, and Vadao is unsure when his team's star will return.

Brazil's Marta looks on during her team's match against Jamaica.

Brazil coach Vadao is unsure when Marta will be able to return to action after she missed her side's Women's World Cup opener against Jamaica.

Cristiane became the oldest scorer of a World Cup hat-trick as Brazil demonstrated their depth in the absence of the injured superstar with a 3-0 win.

The 34-year-old opened the scoring in Grenoble on Sunday with a header, slid in to make it 2-0, then claimed the match ball with an excellent free-kick.

READ | Cristiane Rozeira's hat-trick hands Brazil victory against Jamaica

Brazil's next game is against Australia on Thursday but Vadao indicated Marta remains a doubt due to her thigh problem.

"We are in a moment of caution with the players, we had a lot of injury problem," said Vadao. "It was another reason for the substitutions that were made.

"Marta is with the medical department. I wait for the medical department's approval to play her but she is stronger every day."

Jamaica's defeat could have been even heavier had Sydney Schneider not impressed, saving a penalty from Andressa.

"Obviously I feel good about my own performance but as a whole we could have done better," the American-born goalkeeper told reporters.

READ | Jamaica's underdog 'Reggae Girlz' ready to take on Women's World Cup

"I feel we need to take lessons from the game, apply them to the next game and come out stronger.

"This is our first game in a big tournament but now our nerves should be behind so, so we have to go out and be ready for the next game."

Reggae Girlz coach Hue Menzies was frustrated by his side's inability to create chances against a strong Brazil outfit.

"Sydney came up with a big penalty save and I thought that would give us a push going into the second half," Menzies told a news conference. "We thought we could get more involved in attack and in the number 10 spot.

"We have to give credit to Brazil for being committed to their lines defensively, blocking off our options. But overall I thought we learned a lot of lessons, we'll go back to the drawing board and try to fix it for the next game.

READ | Brazil's Formiga in seventh heaven as she sets World Cup records

"Being here, we've made our country proud. We're a country of three million people so we have maybe five million outside of Jamaica. We've made them proud, Sydney had a stellar game and I told my team she really saved us a lot, not just from embarrassment, but being there for us. 

"We need to respond to those things. When your goalkeeper is pulling things out for us you've got to respond, it's her job and she knows that, she's not a puppy, but the experience will lift her up and the team too.

"Sydney has a lot of experience, she's a smart kid and analyses herself after every save. She watches every moment of herself on film to try and correct herself, and she does a good job connecting with the back line."