The DFB-Frauen defeated Morocco 6-0 in Group H to kick off their World Cup campaign in Australia and New Zealand.
Captain Alexandra Popp put Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side 1-0 up in the 11th minute in Melbourne and doubled Germany’s lead just before half-time with another header. Klara Bühl scored in the first minute of the second half, before two own goals further added to Germany’s lead. Substitute Lea Schüller rounded off the victory in injury time.
Germany’s next game is on Sunday (11:30 CEST) in Sydney against Colombia. Their final group match is against South Korea in Brisbane on 3rd August (12:00 CEST).
Popp on target twice
Voss-Tecklenburg went with a 4-3-3 formation, selecting Svenja Huth at right-back. Sara Doorsoun partnered Kathrin Hendrich in the heart of the defence, with Felicitas Rauch starting on the left. Lina Magull, Melanie Leupolz and Sara Däbritz were named in midfield, alongside Klara Bühl and Jule Brand out wide. Captain Popp was the lone forward.
Germany quickly gained control of their opening group game in front of 27,256 fans at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. The first notable moment came when Bühl flashed a free-kick past the far post from the left wing in the fourth minute. She then had a shot blocked by a Morocco defender (11’).
The opening goal came after 11 minutes for Germany. Brand won possession back in the Morocco half, gave it to Hendrich and she whipped in a cross. The Morocco goalkeeper couldn’t claim it and the unmarked Popp was able to head into an empty goal for 1-0.
Although Morocco looked to attack more after going behind, they failed to trouble Merle Frohms in the Germany goal. The only save she was forced to make was a comfortable one from a Ghizlane Chebbak effort from distance (24’).
The talismanic captain added to her and Germany’s goal tally just before the break. Facing away from goal, Popp still managed to divert Klara Bühl’s whipped corner into the back of the net with her back (39’).
A second half full of goals
The second half began perfectly from a Germany perspective. Bühl won the ball down the right and crossed it in. Brand set up Magull and she hit the post. After winning the ball back, Brand this time teed up Bühl and she picked out the bottom corner, just 25 seconds into the second half.
The fourth goal also came from a corner. Huth put the ball into the danger zone and Ait El Haj unluckily diverted it home (54’). With the win effectively secured, Voss-Tecklenburg made three changes, bringing on Lena Lattwein, Lea Schüller and Nicole Anyomi for Magull, Leupolz and Bühl (64’).
The two-time World Cup winners continued to dominate proceedings and had further opportunities through Brand (64’) and Däbritz (65’). The fifth goal came in the 79th minute, once again an own goal. This time it was Zineb Redouani who converted into her own net.
Popp was replaced by Laura Freigang in the 82nd minute to a standing ovation in Melbourne. Chantal Hagel also made her World Cup debut, coming on for Rauch with a minute to play. As the two sides entered nine minutes of injury time, Lea Schüller put the icing on the cake with a real poacher’s goal from a few yards out.
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The DFB-Frauen defeated Morocco 6-0 in Group H to kick off their World Cup campaign in Australia and New Zealand.
Captain Alexandra Popp put Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side 1-0 up in the 11th minute in Melbourne and doubled Germany’s lead just before half-time with another header. Klara Bühl scored in the first minute of the second half, before two own goals further added to Germany’s lead. Substitute Lea Schüller rounded off the victory in injury time.
Germany’s next game is on Sunday (11:30 CEST) in Sydney against Colombia. Their final group match is against South Korea in Brisbane on 3rd August (12:00 CEST).
Popp on target twice
Voss-Tecklenburg went with a 4-3-3 formation, selecting Svenja Huth at right-back. Sara Doorsoun partnered Kathrin Hendrich in the heart of the defence, with Felicitas Rauch starting on the left. Lina Magull, Melanie Leupolz and Sara Däbritz were named in midfield, alongside Klara Bühl and Jule Brand out wide. Captain Popp was the lone forward.
Germany quickly gained control of their opening group game in front of 27,256 fans at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. The first notable moment came when Bühl flashed a free-kick past the far post from the left wing in the fourth minute. She then had a shot blocked by a Morocco defender (11’).
The opening goal came after 11 minutes for Germany. Brand won possession back in the Morocco half, gave it to Hendrich and she whipped in a cross. The Morocco goalkeeper couldn’t claim it and the unmarked Popp was able to head into an empty goal for 1-0.
Although Morocco looked to attack more after going behind, they failed to trouble Merle Frohms in the Germany goal. The only save she was forced to make was a comfortable one from a Ghizlane Chebbak effort from distance (24’).
The talismanic captain added to her and Germany’s goal tally just before the break. Facing away from goal, Popp still managed to divert Klara Bühl’s whipped corner into the back of the net with her back (39’).
A second half full of goals
The second half began perfectly from a Germany perspective. Bühl won the ball down the right and crossed it in. Brand set up Magull and she hit the post. After winning the ball back, Brand this time teed up Bühl and she picked out the bottom corner, just 25 seconds into the second half.
The fourth goal also came from a corner. Huth put the ball into the danger zone and Ait El Haj unluckily diverted it home (54’). With the win effectively secured, Voss-Tecklenburg made three changes, bringing on Lena Lattwein, Lea Schüller and Nicole Anyomi for Magull, Leupolz and Bühl (64’).
The two-time World Cup winners continued to dominate proceedings and had further opportunities through Brand (64’) and Däbritz (65’). The fifth goal came in the 79th minute, once again an own goal. This time it was Zineb Redouani who converted into her own net.
Popp was replaced by Laura Freigang in the 82nd minute to a standing ovation in Melbourne. Chantal Hagel also made her World Cup debut, coming on for Rauch with a minute to play. As the two sides entered nine minutes of injury time, Lea Schüller put the icing on the cake with a real poacher’s goal from a few yards out.
