Victory against Morocco
DFB-Elf celebrates a brilliant start to the World Cup
07/24/2023 12:28 p.m
The German women’s national team started the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand with a dominant win over Morocco. Alexandra Popp scores twice in the spectacular 6-0, the DFB team confirms its status as one of the favorites for the title.
Alexandra Popp, who else? The captain paved the way for the German soccer team to a 6-0 (2-0) win against Morocco in their first game at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Last year’s European Championship star scored the first two goals (11th and 39th minutes) with a header in the preliminary round against the tournament debutants from North Africa in Melbourne. In addition, Klara Bühl (46th) and Lea Schüller (90th) for the DFB selection as well as Hanane Aït El Haj (54th) and Zineb Redouani (79th) met their own goal.
“We’re super happy that we were able to put on such an opening game,” said Popp after the game. “You don’t know beforehand where you stand, but we always stuck to our game.” The striker was happy “that I was able to give my team security with my two goals”. On the way to the hoped-for third World Cup star, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s selection was able to wipe away any doubts that had arisen about top form. “The relief prevails,” said the coach after the game. “We did well and scored a quick goal. After that we were efficient and rewarded ourselves with more goals in the second half.” The next opponent, Colombia, next Sunday in Sydney, could be a much tougher test for the European runners-up.
In front of 27,256 spectators in the Albert Park stadium, which was not sold out, Popp twice beamed her well-known jubilation gesture in allusion to the classic film “.ET” (“Phone home”): the left hand on the imaginary telephone, the index finger stretched towards the sky. When they were substituted late (83rd), the German fans in the stadium cheered.
DFB women set the tone directly
As had been indicated in the past few days, Voss-Tecklenburg had to rebuild their defense due to injury. Defense chief Marina Hegering (bruised heel) and midfield clearer Lena Oberdorf (thigh injury) were on the bench, as was Sjoeke Nüsken (lateral ligament strain in the knee). Chelsea pro Melanie Leupolz, the only mother in the German team, represented Oberdorf with a solid performance. The experienced Sara Doorsoun played in central defense for Hegering.
Morocco’s players proudly presented themselves at the national anthem. The North African men’s national team caused a sensation at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Now the women went, for whose training conditions King Mohammed VI. entered their first World Cup tournament as the runners-up in the Africa Cup – and had to fight a lot. “We don’t want to be surprised on the defensive and develop security,” Voss-Tecklenburg said shortly before kick-off on ZDF. “We want to dominate the game from our side.”
The DFB women immediately took the initiative. Wolfsburg’s Svenja Huth played at full-back, but kept rushing forward over the right. Just as the Moroccans were getting a little braver, Mrabet made a hair-raising misstep. Goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi dived under Kathrin Hendrich’s cross ball – and Popp headed in unchallenged. The 32-year-old from Wolfsburg celebrated like she did at the European Championships in England last year when she rose to become a tournament star with six goals.
Two own goals after the break
One of the approximately 2,000 German fans in the stadium was Sami Khedira. The 2014 world champion saw how the early opening goal of the DFB team continued to provide security. After the disappointing test match performances against Vietnam and Zambia, some criticism had arisen. Popp then made it 2-0 with a header from a Bühl corner. And how: It was a diving header in the manner of Uwe Seeler, because she sunk the ball half with the back of her head, half with her ear in the net. “I just see where the ball is,” Popp explained after the game. “I’m strongest with my head, no matter what height.” It was the 64th goal in the striker’s 129th international cap.
In a wild phase after the restart, Bayern player Bühl made it 3-0 with a determined shot into the far corner before the beleaguered Moroccans scored into their own net for the first time after a Huth cross. At the second own goal, the Moroccan defense was far too unsorted, Schüller put the end late.