Ruthless Germany hit six, Italy down Argentina late on at World Cup
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Alexandra Popp scored twice as Germany thrashed Morocco 6-0 to launch their Women's World Cuptitle bid in style Monday, while Italy triumphed in a feisty encounter with Argentina thanks to an 87th-minute winner.
In the last match of day five of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, Brazil face debutants Panama hoping to make a statement of their own.
The lower-ranked teams at the first 32-team Women's WorldCup 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.
The Germans are among the favourites once again, along with holders the United States, England, Spain and France, and they showed why with a clinical performance in front of a near sell-out crowd of more than 27,000.
England must defy injuries and dip in form to win World Cup
FootballIn their 32-year-old skipper Popp they 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.
Colombia face South Korea on Tuesday also in Group H, in the final match of the first round of group games.
Super subArgentinahad 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.
Juventusveteran Cristiana Girelli was Italy's heroine, coming on as a
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