The Moroccan women’s national team’s FIFA World Cup debut ended in a 6-0 defeat to Germany in Melbourne. As it stands, no African side has successfully conjured a win at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Germany responded to their pre-World Cup loss to Zambia by obliterating the first-ever North African side to feature in a Women’s World Cup.
2022 UEFA Women’s Euros’ top scorer Alex Popp picked up where she left off last year as she powered Germany into the lead with an 11th-minute header. The forward was on hand to grab another goal courtesy of Klara Bühl’s corner kick at 39 minutes.
Early in the second half, provider turned scorer as Bühl converted with her right foot to give DFB Frauen a 3-0 lead. A pair of own goals from Moroccan center-back partners El Haj and Yasmin Katie condemned the Atlas Lionesses to a 5-0 deficit.
Substitute Lëa Schuller added the icing on the cake with a sixth goal for Germany in stoppage time. The two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champions have recorded a much-needed statement win that will keep the holders, the USA, honest.
Morocco and Zambia worst African teams so far at the World Cup
For African teams, their World Cup campaign has not gotten off to an impressive start as they remain winless. The last African side to win the opening game of a FIFA Women’s World Cup was Cameroon in 2015, who decimated Ecuador 6-0.
So far, Nigeria is the only African side to record a positive result, as they held out Canada to a 0-0 draw. The 2022 Women’s AFCON champions, South Africa, were not bad either, as they nearly beat Sweden before surrendering two goals.
The concern, however, is with debutants Zambia and Morocco, who were given a reality check in 5-0 and 6-0 defeats, respectively. It goes to show that the FIFA World Cup experience is very important to a team’s chances of collecting positive results.
The Copper Queens and Atlas Lionesses need to emulate a more tactically disciplined approach like that of Nigeria and South Africa.
Now that all four African teams have the experience of FIFA World Cup football, we should expect better performances in the remaining games.
The Copper Queens face the daunting task of facing Spain on Wednesday, while the Super Falcons clash with Australia on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Banyana Banyanya lock horns with Argentina on Friday, with the Atlas Lionesses meeting South Korea on Sunday.
