Germany began their Women’s World Cup campaign in style as captain Alexandra Popp scored twice to see off debutants Morocco in Melbourne.

It was a comfortable victory for world number two side Germany, who are heavy favourites to top Group H.

Striker Popp, who was ruled out of the Euro 2022 final through injury, made her mark with two clinical headers in the first half.

Klara Buhl pounced on a rebound shortly after half-time to extend Germany’s lead, before Morocco’s Hanane Ait el Haj and Yasmin Mrabet poked into their own net on separate occasions.

Germany continued to cause problems and completed the rout when substitute Lea Schuller added a sixth, firing it into an empty net after a swift counter-attack on the right.

It was a strong performance from Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side as they created numerous chances and looked sharp going forward, hitting the woodwork on two occasions and having a goal ruled out for offside.

Despite missing key players Lena Oberdorf and Marina Hegering through injury, Germany maintained their impressive record in the group stages of the competition, losing only once in 25 matches.

Morocco, one of eight teams making their World Cup debut this year, were dangerous in flashes, but they lacked the clinical touch that Germany’s Popp provided at the other end.

Popp stars as Germany put down marker

With some of Europe’s bigger nations underwhelming in their opening matches, Germany took their opportunity to put a marker on the competition, confirming their position as one of the favourites.

They were ruthless in attack and it was talismanic striker Popp who delivered the early goals in the first half which allowed them to play with creativity and flair as the game wore on.

She was gifted a free header when Morocco goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi missed a cross from Kathrin Hendrich, and later connected with a corner to make it 2-0.

Popp joins the USA’s Sophia Smith and Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa as the only players to score twice in their opening games and she went off to applause from travelling fans in the stands with 10 minutes remaining.

Morocco, ranked 70 places lower than Germany, were not as poor as the scoreline suggests, as they pressed high and caused problems on the counter-attack.

Tottenham striker Rosella Ayane was an outlet with her pace, while captain Ghizlane Chebbak tested goalkeeper Merle Frohms on a few occasions.

But Germany showed their superiority in the moments when it mattered and could easily have added to their tally.

Germany face Colombia in their second group game in a strong position, while Morocco face South Korea next, hoping to pick up their first points at a Women’s World Cup.

Player of the match

PoppAlexandra Popp

with an average of 7.69

Germany

  1. Squad number11Player namePopp

    Average rating

    7.69

  2. Squad number18Player nameLeupolz

    Average rating

    7.39

  3. Squad number22Player nameBrand

    Average rating

    7.34

  4. Squad number20Player nameMagull

    Average rating

    7.30

  5. Squad number7Player nameSchüller

    Average rating

    7.03

  6. Squad number19Player nameBühl

    Average rating

    6.94

  7. Squad number23Player nameDoorsoun

    Average rating

    6.76

  8. Squad number13Player nameDäbritz

    Average rating

    6.75

  9. Squad number17Player nameRauch

    Average rating

    6.49

  10. Squad number10Player nameFreigang

    Average rating

    6.46

  11. Squad number1Player nameFrohms

    Average rating

    6.43

  12. Squad number3Player nameHendrich

    Average rating

    6.34

  13. Squad number14Player nameLattwein

    Average rating

    5.87

  14. Squad number9Player nameHuth

    Average rating

    5.79

  15. Squad number16Player nameAnyomi

    Average rating

    5.71

  16. Squad number2Player nameHagel

    Average rating

    5.44

Morocco

  1. Squad number23Player nameAyane

    Average rating

    6.20

  2. Squad number6Player nameNakkach

    Average rating

    5.52

  3. Squad number19Player nameOuzraoui Diki

    Average rating

    5.48

  4. Squad number16Player nameLahmari

    Average rating

    5.45

  5. Squad number2Player nameRedouani

    Average rating

    5.43

  6. Squad number11Player nameTagnaout

    Average rating

    5.38

  7. Squad number7Player nameChebbak

    Average rating

    5.33

  8. Squad number21Player nameM’Rabet

    Average rating

    5.25

  9. Squad number8Player nameAmani

    Average rating

    5.13

  10. Squad number20Player nameBouftini

    Average rating

    5.06

  11. Squad number10Player nameBadri

    Average rating

    5.06

  12. Squad number4Player nameKassi

    Average rating

    4.95

  13. Squad number9Player nameJraïdi

    Average rating

    4.94

  14. Squad number17Player nameAït El Haj

    Average rating

    4.89

  15. Squad number5Player nameEl Chad

    Average rating

    4.71

  16. Squad number1Player nameEr-Rmichi

    Average rating

    4.36

Line-ups

Germany

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Frohms
  • 9Huth
  • 3Hendrich
  • 23Doorsoun
  • 17RauchSubstituted forHagelat 89′minutes
  • 13Däbritz
  • 18LeupolzSubstituted forLattweinat 65′minutes
  • 22Brand
  • 20MagullSubstituted forSchüllerat 65′minutes
  • 19BühlSubstituted forAnyomiat 64′minutesBooked at 75mins
  • 11PoppSubstituted forFreigangat 83′minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Hagel
  • 4Kleinherne
  • 5Hegering
  • 6Oberdorf
  • 7Schüller
  • 8Lohmann
  • 10Freigang
  • 12Berger
  • 14Lattwein
  • 15Nüsken
  • 16Anyomi
  • 21Johannes

Morocco

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Er-Rmichi
  • 4Kassi
  • 17Aït El Haj
  • 21M’RabetSubstituted forEl Chadat 82′minutes
  • 2Redouani
  • 19Ouzraoui DikiSubstituted forBouftiniat 90+5′minutes
  • 6NakkachSubstituted forBadriat 82′minutes
  • 7Chebbak
  • 11Tagnaout
  • 16LahmariSubstituted forAmaniat 67′minutes
  • 23AyaneSubstituted forJraïdiat 90+4′minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Benzina
  • 5El Chad
  • 8Amani
  • 9Jraïdi
  • 10Badri
  • 12Zouhair
  • 13Seghir
  • 14Mazrouai
  • 15Gharbi
  • 18Chapelle
  • 20Bouftini
  • 22Arouaissa

Referee:
Tori Penso

Attendance:
27,256

Match Stats

Live Text

  1. Match ends, Germany 6, Morocco 0.

  2. Second Half ends, Germany 6, Morocco 0.

  3. Chantal Hagel (Germany) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  4. Foul by Sofia Bouftini (Morocco).

  5. Attempt blocked. Lea Schüller (Germany) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Chantal Hagel.

  6. Foul by Lea Schüller (Germany).

  7. Najat Badri (Morocco) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  8. Attempt missed. Laura Freigang (Germany) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Svenja Huth with a cross following a corner.

  9. Offside, Germany. Laura Freigang tries a through ball, but Lea Schüller is caught offside.

  10. Substitution, Morocco. Sofia Bouftini replaces Sakina Ouzraoui Diki.

  11. Substitution, Morocco. Ibtissam Jraïdi replaces Rosella Ayane.

  12. Corner, Germany. Conceded by Fatima Tagnaout.

  13. Attempt saved. Hanane Aït El Haj (Morocco) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

  14. Goal! Germany 6, Morocco 0. Lea Schüller (Germany) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.

  15. Attempt saved. Lena Lattwein (Germany) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Laura Freigang.

  16. Substitution, Germany. Chantal Hagel replaces Felicitas Rauch.

  17. Foul by Lena Lattwein (Germany).

  18. Rosella Ayane (Morocco) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  19. Attempt saved. Salma Amani (Morocco) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Fatima Tagnaout.

  20. Attempt blocked. Nesryne El Chad (Morocco) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fatima Tagnaout with a cross.