Morocco’s debut at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand ended in a 6-0 defeat to powerhouse Germany in their opening Group H match in Melbourne on Monday. The match highlighted Germany’s dominance and reaffirmed their status as one of the tournament’s top contenders.
Germany got off to a fast start when Alexandra Popp scored in the 11th minute after capitalising on a defensive blunder by Morocco in their own half. As the first half progressed, Germany’s relentless attacks resulted in another goal, with Popp scoring her second from Klara Buhl’s well-delivered corner.
Moroccan hopes of a second-half comeback were dashed when Germany struck again within a minute of the game restarting. A shot off the post caught the Moroccan defence off guard, and Buhl had an easy tap-in from close range to extend Germany’s lead.
Despite their best efforts, Morocco was dealt another setback when Anissa Lahmari’s well-executed shot found the back of the net only to be disallowed for offside. Following this setback, Hanane Ait El Haj scored an own goal, inadvertently deflecting the ball into her own net, giving Germany a commanding 4-0 lead.
Germany’s attacking onslaught continued as the game progressed, hitting the crossbar and coming close to adding more goals. Morocco, on the other hand, struggled to deal with the constant pressure and conceded another unlucky own goal, this time from Yasmin Mrabet. Goalkeeper Khadija Errmichi’s clearance attempt ricocheted off Mrabet and into the net.
Germany’s offensive prowess was on display as they scored their sixth goal through Lea Schuller, who pounced on a rebound following an Errmichi save. Despite their commanding lead, Schuller had a seventh goal disallowed in the dying minutes of the game for being offside.
The defeat was a difficult start for Morocco, which had previously finished second in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held in 2022. Only Nigeria, one of the African teams competing in the World Cup, earned a point with a goalless draw against Canada. The first stage proved disappointing for Zambia, South Africa, and Morocco.
The defeat highlighted the issues that African teams must address in the second round of matches in order to advance to the round of 16. While the competition is fierce, there is still time for Morocco and the other African representatives to regroup and show their true potential in the upcoming games.
Germany’s dominant performance not only highlighted their strength but also served as a warning to the other teams in the tournament. Germany demonstrated why they are ranked second in the world and firm favourites to advance far in the Women’s World Cup with a display of clinical finishing and relentless attacking.
Morocco will need to learn from their first match and put up a strong fight in their remaining matches as the tournament progresses. While the loss to Germany was undoubtedly disappointing, it can be used as a learning experience and motivation for the Moroccan team to come back stronger in the remaining matches. The Women’s World Cup has only recently begun, and there are still numerous opportunities for teams to make their mark and create memorable moments on the global stage.
Main Image: Goal.com
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