Alexandra Popp scored twice as Germany made a real statement of intent against the World Cup debutantes from North Africa
Group H: “It was evident from the first whistle that Morocco were not going to be able to keep a clean sheet for long and after a slower first half the Euro 2022 runners-up brushed the debutants aside with an emphatic 6-0 victory,” writes Jo Khan from the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium …
An emphatic win for Germany, who go in search of their third #FIFAWWC!#BeyondGreatness
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) July 24, 2023
Germany beat Morocco: The first Arab nation to play at a Women’s World Cup, Morocco certainly didn’t disgrace themselves but their inability to deal with crosses really cost them.
Having gone down to two Alexandra Popp goals in the first half, the game really got away from Reynald Pedros’s side immediately after the break when Germany scored within 30 seconds of the restart. Back-to-back own goals from Morocco kept the scoreboard ticking over until Lea Schuller wrapped up the proceedings for Germany in the closing stages.
Peep! Peep! Peeeeep! It’s all over in Melbourne, where Germany have swattted the World Cup debutantes aside and made a real statement of intent.
90+8 min: Lea Schuller tries her luck with a piledriver from outside the penalty area but it’s blocked by a defender.
90+5 min: Germany have an effort ruled out for offside after Schuller had planted a downward header between the legs of Er-Rmichi after getting on the end of a flick-on.
We’ll have nine minutes of added time. It seems a little harsh on Morocco, who I’m sure would welcome the final whistle right now. German substitute Nicole Anyomi would certainly have welcomed it a minute ago as she’s just shipped a clearance in the face from close range
It’s a tennis score! And not a flattering one for Morocco, who are being bageld by their opposition. Lea Schuller slots into an empty net after Khadija Er-Rmichi had made a decent save from close range, only for the ball to drop at the feet of the substitute.
89 min: Germany make another substitution, bringing on Chantal Hagel in place of Jule Brand.
86 min: Morocco create a half-chance from a corner which Germany failed to clear properly. With some nifty footwork, Rosella Ayane creates an opening and shoots low towards the German goal. Her fairly feeble effort is saved comfortably by Frohms.
82 min: Alexandra Popp has been susbstituted and won’t be completing her hat-trick. She’s replaced by Laura Freigang.
82 min: Morocco defender Elodie Nakkach hurt her head in that most unseemly scramble and is replaced. She looks like she might be concussed. Morocco double-substitution: Nakkach and Mrabet off, Nesryne El Chad and Najat Badri on.
Germany make it five! What a mess. The ball’s send into the Morocco penalty area, where goalkeeper Er-Rmichi punches the ball on to the head of Mrabet, her own defender. It ricochet’s goalwards and standing on the line, Redouani desperately tries to clear the ball, only to help it over the line. Just to make sure, Alexandra Popp barges through the melee to finish the job. That’s an own goal and it’s being attributed to Mrabet.
78 min: Brand stands the ball up in the Morocco six-yard box but it’s headed out for a corner by Redouani.
75 min: The German substitute Anyomi is booked for a clumsy challenge on Zineb Redouani, who goes to ground smacking the turf in pain. It’s the first yellow card of the game.
73 min: With Germany having put the game well out of Morocco’s reach, there’s not a great deal to report on the pitch. The European side are firmly in control and for their African opponents, it’s all about damage limitation and trying to score their first ever World Cup goal.
70 min: Just replaced by Germany, Melanie Leupolz missed the Euros last summer because she was pregnant. The Chelsea midifelder has since given birth to a son, who is a firm favourite around the WSL side’s Cobham training ground and has also made the trip to Australia for the World Cup.
69 min: Morocco substitution: Saima Amani on for Anissa Lahmari in midfield.
65 min: Germany triple-substitution: Lea Schuller, Lena Lattwein and Etonam Anyomi on for Leupolz, Magull and Buehl.
62 min: Germany ping the ball around, leaving Morocco chasing shadows, a most exhausting pursuit, particularly when you’re 4-0 down. Ait El Haj comes perilously close to scoring her second own goal in a few minutes, when she deflects a low Jule Brand cross goalwards. On this occasion, her goalkeeper digs her out in a far more productive way, getting down to turn the ball around the upright. Good save.
60 min: There’s a break in play as one of Morocco’s players, the scorer of the own goal, receives treatment for an injury.
59 min: Klara Buehl finds herself in acres of space down the left wing but is unable to pick out a teammate with her low cross. Somewhat frantically, Morocco clear their lines.
58 min: Playing for pride now, Morocco keep plugging away against an increasingly confident German side after amo st eventful opening to the second half.
It’s turning into a rout. Moroccan defender Hanane Ait El Haj turns the ball into her own net after a defensive header from Elodie Nakkach dropped her way.
Somewhat uncharitably, her team’s goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi, rollocks the crestfallen young defender out of it, despite not being entirely blameless herself. She’d come for the initial delivery into the Morocco box but failed to get anywhere near it.
53 min: Anissa Lahmahri strays offside a split-second before receiving a pass from Ghizlane Chebbak and shooting past Frohms. Her “goal” is correctly ruled out for offside.
52 min: Morcocco get forward and Chebbak has a low shot comfortably saved by Marle Frohms.
47 min: Standing in an offside position, Magull cleverly lets a through ball roll between her legs so Buehl, running from deep, can shoot goalwards. She clips the outside of the post and the flag goes up for offside. Had Buehl scored again, I suspect that offside decision might have beenn overturned, unless the officials deemed Magull to have been interfering with play.
47 min: Buehl started and finished that move, getting down the left flank and crossing to the far post, where the ball was knocked down for Lina Magull, who hit the woodwork. Morocco failed to clear their lines and the ball broke to Buehl, who sent if fizzing past Khadija Er-Rmichi.
Germany extend their lead! It’s a disaster for Morocco as Klara Buehl rifles home from eight yards just 10 seconds after the restart.
46 min: Play resumes with no changes in personnel on either side.
Peep! Referee Tori Penso draws first-half proceedings to a close, with Germany leading courtesy of Alexandra Popp’s brace. They’re well worth their lead but haven’t had it all their own way against a team ranked 70 places below them in the cosmic scheme of things.
45+3 min: An intricate move by Germany that would have Pep Guardiola himself salivating ends with Jule Brand teeing up Klara Buehl, whose low drive from inside the penalty area is blocked. It stemmed from a throw-in and featured an inch-perfect, wonderfully weighted backheel from Lina Magull. Had Buehl scored, that certainly would have been an early contender for goal of the tournament.
45+2 min: Zineb Redouani, who’s been very impressive in the Morocco defence, makes a crucial interception to concede a throw-in as Germany try to play in behind their rivals down the right touchline.
44 min: Going back to Popp’s second goal, the German was actually facing away from goal when she connected with Klara Buehl’s excellent corner. She didn’t make any sort of clean contact with her head but managed to steer the ball past Er-Rmichi with her shoulder from six yards. It won’t be a goal of the tournament or Puskas Award contender but they all count.
41 min: Morocco squander what looks like a big chance after Fatima Tagnaouti is playedf in behind for a one-on-one with Merle Frohms, but is unable to round the German goalkeeper, who rushed off her line but stayed on her feet. The flag goes up for offside, so Tagnaouti’s blushes are spared.
Popp doubles Germany’s lead! The German skipper sort of shoulders one in from the edge of the six-yard box, getting on the end of the corner delivery to score her second goal of the game.
