Talismanic captain Alexandra Popp scored a brace as Germany launched their bid for a third Women’s World Cup title with a 6-0 demolition of debutants Morocco yesterday.
In the tournament’s greatest mismatch to date, veteran Popp led from the front, heading in two first-half strikes before Klara Buehl, Lea Schueller and two own goals blew out the score after the break in front of 27,256 at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
The Germans’ cake-walk put them top of Group H on three points, with rivals Colombia and South Korea to play their opener in Sydney on Tuesday.
Seven months after the Moroccan men’s fairytale run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, the Atlas Lionesses became the first Arab team to take the field at the women’s showpiece, and will hope for better in their next match against South Korea.
Meanwhile, Ary Borges scored a hat-trick on her Women’s World Cup debut to help Brazil thrash debutants Panama 4-0 and get their campaign off to a winning start.
Brazil opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Debinha’s floated cross was turned in at the back post by Borges, who netted her second of the match 20 minutes later as she poked in a rebound after having a header saved by goalkeeper Yenith Bailey.
The Brazilians turned on the style in the second half as Borges set up Bia Zaneratto with a backheel flick for the third, before the 23-year-old headed home to become the first Brazilian player to score a hat-trick on their World Cup debut.
The result takes eighth-ranked Brazil to the top of Group F, after France were held to a 0-0 draw by Jamaica on Sunday.
Substitute Cristiana Girelli’s 87th-minute header gave Italy a 1-0 win over Argentina in their opener at Eden Park, denying the South Americans a first win at the global soccer showpiece.
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