LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Alex Popp scored twice as Germany put up the highest goal of any Women’s World Cup competitor thus far in a 6-0 victory over Morocco.
The Moroccan goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi misread Kathrin Hendrich’s precise cross, giving Popp an empty goal to aim at once she got her head on it. It took the Wolfsburg attacker just 11 minutes to break the score.
She increased that advantage before the interval, this time connecting with Klara Buhl’s corner to give the two-time winners a dominating advantage.
Anissa Lahmari put Fatima Tagnaout through on goal for Morocco, who were competing for the first time in the tournament.
However, the winger hesitated while going one-on-one with Merle Frohms, allowing Germany to neutralize the threat.
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In the aftermath, the offside flag was raised, but replays revealed how close it actually was.
Buhl’s great run down the left originally led to Lina Magull hitting the woodwork, but Buhl found her way into the box to latch onto the loose ball and comfortably blast it home to make it three for Germany in the opening minute of the second half.
Other than Popp? The attacker entered the Euros last summer coming off a challenging season in which she was severely injured.
This time, she enters the World Cup having captured the Golden Boot in the Frauen Bundesliga and led Wolfsburg to the Champions League final. She demonstrated her remarkable fitness on Monday.
Both teams will play again, with Germany taking on Colombia after Germany plays South Korea in the opening match of the day.