[ad_1]
Key events
16 min: Moments before that goal, there was a moment of panic in the Morocco defence, when Redouani was forced the hack the ball clear from the six-yard box seconds after after the Germans had hit the woodwork. The ball rebounded to Klara Buehl, who should have scored from inside the penalty area.
15 min: Popp was completey unmarked for the goal and was ably assisted by Morocco goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi, who came for the cross but was unable to claim it.
GOAL! Germany 1-0 Morocco (Popp 11)
Germany lead! Employing a high press, Germany win the ball deep in Morocco territory, pouncing on a loose pass out of defence. Kathrin Hendrich was played in behind and she played an inch-perfect cross to Popp, who powered her header home from seven yards.
9 min: Morocco are gradually getting a foothold in the game having weathered what passed for the early German storm. The German’s go forward again and Klara Buehl picks out Popp with her back to goal on the edge of the Morocco penalty area. Before she can turn, Yasmine Mrabet sticks in a leg to take the ball off her toe. Good defending.
8 min: A promising Morocco sortie upfield breaks down when their captain Ghizlane Chebbak gives the ball away in midfield.
5 min: Germany continue to dominate possession in these early stages, as you might expect. They advance down the right with Svenja Huth on the ball. She gets in behind Morocco left-back Zineb Redouani and sends a cross into the box. Her delivery is cleared.
3 min: Sakina Ouzraoui concedes a free-kick in a dangerous position with a handball. It’s wide on the left, in line with the edge of the penalty area. Instead of crossing into the box, Klara Buehl sends a shot fizzing across the face of the goal, trying to catch out Morocco goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi. It’s wide, but not by much.
2 min: Morocco win a series of throw-ins but eventually concede possession. Germany ping the ball around at the back.
Germany v Morocco is go …
1 min: Alexandra Popp gets the ball rolling for Germany, with Morocco contesting their first ever match at a World Cup finals.
Not long now: Both sets of players march out and line up either side of referee Tori Penso and her team of match officials for the national anthems. There looks to be a capacity crowd in the Rectangular Stadium with fans of both nations extremely well represented. Kick-off is just a few minutes away.
Germany are heavy favourites. The second ranked team in the world have seven of the team who started last summer’s Euros final in their line-up. Alexandra Popp, who missed out on that showdown against England after injuring herself in the warm-up, also starts up front today.
Morocco may be rank outsiders but will surely be inspired by the heroics of their male counterparts, who surprised us all by reaching the World Cup semi-finals.
The Moroccan government has ploughed plenty of money into the women’s game and in Reynald Pedros, have an elite manager with plenty of trophy-winning experience at the very highest level.
Meanwhile in Group G: Italy left it late to take all three points against Argentina, with Cristiano Girelli coming off the bench to nod home the only goal of the game in the 87th minute with her first touch of the ball.
Germany v Morocco line-ups
Germany: Frohms, Huth, Hendrich, Doorsoun, Rauch, Leupolz, Dabritz, Brand, Magull, Buhl, Popp.
Subs: Berger, Anyomi, Freigang, Hagel, Hegering, Kleinherne, Lattwein, Lohmann, Nusken, Oberdorf, Schuller, Johannes.
Morocco: Er-Rmichi, Ait El Haj, Mrabet, Redouani, Ouzraoui, Nakkach, Kassi, Tagnaout, Chebbak, Ayane, Lahmari.
Subs: Arouaissa, Amani, Badri, Benzina, Bouftini, Chapelle, El Chad, Gharbi, Jraidi, Mazrouai, Seghir, Zouhair.
Referee: Tori Penso (USA)
Reynald Pedros speaks
“We’ll be ready for the first match against Germany and we’ll do what we can in the group phase to qualify for the last 16,” said the 51-year-old Frenchman. “Then it all comes down to how much work you put in. We know that Germany, Korea Republic and Colombia are happy to be playing Morocco. It’s up to us to show them that it’s not going to be that easy for them and that we’re going to give it our best shot to qualify. If we get it into our heads that we can do it, then we’ll be in a position to go and do just that.”
Martina Voss-Tecklenberg speaks …
“I want to trust players to make decisions, to think about attacking and be creative,” said the German boss. “We want to have courageous players. We want them to develop a joy and passion for playing. I think we showed that at the Euros last year, with our defending, and with our willingness to counter-attack and play the ball straight away.
“That [style] means always being active and alert. We work on that both on and off the pitch – and our amazing players create a positive atmosphere, which is the basis for success.
“We want to be contenders for the title, to be a team who could be world champions,” she says. “That’s cool, a good feeling, and I think if everyone stays fit we can be a team to beat.”
Rosella Ayane: The sole member of the Morocco squad to play in the English WSL, Ayane made 12 appearances in the competition last season, scoring one goal.
The Guardian’s team guide to Germany
Germany’s football self-image, which was lost for a short time, is back. After the quarter-final defeats at the 2017 European Championship and the 2019 World Cup, the Germans were no longer considered favourites – but that changed at Euro 2022. Read on …
The Guardian’s team guide to Morocco
Morocco’s maiden participation in the World Cup is an achievement in itself. Hosting the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 was a huge boost to promoting the women’s game in the country and the side reached the final with a team largely composed of players from Rabat’s AS Far and some very talented individuals from further afield. Read on …
Early team news: German head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has to plan without Wolfsburg defender Marina Hegering, who is out with a heel injury, while her club teammate, the midfielder Lena Oberdorf, misses this opener with a thigh strain.
Morocco boss Reynald Pedros is expehas a full complement of players to choose from. Should the Frenchman pick defender Nouhaila Benzina, she will become the first ever player to appear at a World Cup wearing a hijab.
Group H: Germany v Morocco
Among the tournament favourites, Germany get their World Cup campaign under way with an opener against Morocco. The first Arab nation ever to play in this tournament, Morocco are 72nd in the Fifa rankings, the second lowest in the competition and on paper at least, should pose few problems for last year’s beaten European finalists.
This match, however, will be played on grass, specifically that of the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium and the Atlas Lionesses will have taken heart from the performances of other “minnows” who have defied lowly rankings to give unexpectedly admirable accounts of themselves in the opening games of this competition. Kick off in Victoria is at 9.30am (BST) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
[ad_2]
Source link
