Women’s Football World Cup: Germany thrash Morocco 6-0; Italy beat Argentina 1-0

Alexandra Popp and Critiana Girelli

Alexandra Popp scored twice as Germany thrashed Morocco 6-0 to launch their Women's World Cup title bid in style Monday, while Italy triumphed in a feisty encounter with Argentina thanks to an 87th-minute winner.

The lower-ranked teams at the first 32-team Women's World Cup have generally held their own so far, indicating a closing of the gap in women's international football. But two-time champions Germany blew away Morocco - the first Arab team at a Women's World Cup - in Melbourne to record the biggest win of the tournament so far.

In their 32-year-old skipper, Popp, Germany have one of the best goal-scorers around and she took full advantage of some poor Morocco defending with simple close-range finishes. Klara Buehl made it three straight after half-time to end the match as any kind of contest, before two own goals and a late sixth from Lea Schueller.

Argentina had never won a game at the Women's World Cup after appearing at three previous finals - and the wait goes on after going down 1-0 to Italy in a fiery clash that yielded six yellow cards. Juventus veteran Cristiana Girelli was Italy's heroine, coming on as a substitute in the 83rd minute and scoring the winner with a superb header just four minutes later.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever