Record-Breaking Victory: Alexandra Popp Nets Double as Powerhouse Germany Dominates World Cup Opener against Morocco
Germany kick off their World Cup campaign in style, thrashing debutants Morocco 6-0 in Group H Despite a troubled build-up, the two-time champions showcased their dominance and set the tone for what's to come
Germany brushed aside their disappointing lead-up to the World Cup this summer by overwhelming debutants Morocco in their first Group H match, emerging as 6-0 victors. Despite losing two out of three warm-up games against lower-ranked teams, the two-time world champions showcased a convincing display that dismissed any concerns about their previous form affecting their tournament performance.
Morocco, ranked 72nd globally, became the first Arab team to participate in a World Cup finals. However, their lack of experience became evident early on when Germany's captain Alexandra Popp, who was playing in her fourth edition of the tournament, showcased her dominance. In the 11th minute, Kathrin Hendrich swiftly maneuvered down the right flank and delivered a skillful cross towards Popp's head. With great force and precision, Popp placed the ball beyond the reach of the helpless goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi.
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Germany celebrated Alexandra Popp's first goal against Morocco. The 32-year-old scored again before half-time, bending down to head Klara Buhl's corner into the net. However, Sara Dabritz's low shot was disallowed for being slightly offside in the build-up.
Several tournament underdogs have started to cause upsets in the opening week of group-stage matches. However, Morocco was not able to join their ranks as Buhl scored a goal just 60 seconds into the second half, followed by two own goals, making a bad situation even worse in a match dominated by the European runners-up. To add to the Moroccan misery, substitute Lea Schuller completed a ruthless attacking performance in the 90th minute.
More to follow...
What's next?
Group H returns on Saturday July 30. Germany take on Colombia while Morocco play South Korea.The group stage, which started two weeks ago, will conclude on Thursday, August 3 with the final group games. Germany will go up against South Korea, while Morocco will face Colombia.
What is the schedule?
The group stage has begun and runs over a two-week period finishing on August 3. Group winners and runners-up progress to the round of 16, which takes place from August 5 to August 8.The quarter-finals are set to take place on August 11 and 12 in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney. Following that, the first semi-final will be held in Auckland on August 15, while the second semi-final will take place at Accor Stadium in Sydney on August 16. The final match will be held at Accor Stadium on August 20.
A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.
