Fifa Women's World Cup: Germany put six past Morocco

1. FT: Germany 6-0 Morocco - Popp heads first-half double, Buhl adds third before two own goals, Schuller gets a sixth
2. Morocco are first Arab team to play at a Women's World Cup
3. Nouhaila Benzina, who could become first player to wear a hijab at the tournament, starts on the bench
4. Germany are two-time world champions; South Korea & Colombia complete Group H
5. Get Involved: Tweet #bbcfootball, WhatsApp [phone], text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

Klara Buhl whips this free-kick in, an inswinger towards the back post, but it evades everyone and goes wide.

Mostly Germany so far, Svenja Huth does well to keep a long ball in and they eventually win a free-kick in crossing range for a handball.

Ominous stats for Morocco...

Germany's goal difference in World Cup openers is 34-3. Two of the four instances a team have scored at least 10 goals in a Women's World Cup game were Germany in their opening game (11-0 v Argentina in 2007 and 10-0 v Ivory Coast in 2015).

KICK-OFF

Under way in Melbourne.

Leading nations plodding along

Emma Sanders

BBC Sport in Australia

Germany are giants of football and they go into this match as heavy favourites against one of the eight tournament debutants.

But it has been a slow burner for the "bigger" nations so far.

The United States and Spain bagged three goals and a clean sheet in their matches but didn't blow away the opposition.

England, Australia, the Netherlands and Sweden all crawled to narrow wins, Olympic champions Canada and France - ranked fifth in the world - were held to goalless draws by Nigeria and Jamaica respectively, while Norway were shocked by co-hosts New Zealand on the opening day.

If Germany were to lose today, something that has never happened before in their opening match of a Women's World Cup, it would be the biggest upset of the group stages.

'Popp is an absolute handful'

Fran Kirby

England forward on ITV1

Germany are missing Lena Oberdorf who is undoubtedly one of their best players so that team is probably right.

Having Alexandra Popp back is good for them, she was really missed in the Euros final. She is such an important player for them and it's good to see her doing what she does best. She is an absolute handful.

I'm also really happy to see Melanie Leupolz starting.

Reuters

Benzina could make World Cup history

Getty Images

Morocco's Nouhaila Benzina will become the first player to wear a hijab, the Islamic headscarf, at a World Cup if she features against Germany.

She's on the bench today.

The hijab was authorised by Fifa in 2014.

Key stats: Germany v Morocco

BBC Sport

• This will be the first ever game between Germany and Morocco.
• Germany are one of seven teams to have qualified for all nine Fifa Women’s World Cup tournaments.
• Germany are unbeaten in their opening game of a Fifa Women's World Cup tournament, winning seven and drawing one of their previous eight.
• Only one team from Africa has managed to win their first ever game in the Fifa Women's World Cup: Cameroon in 2015, a 6-0 win against Ecuador.

'Germany will be hurting after Euros final defeat'

BBC Sport

I can see Germany winning big here. They will still be hurting from losing last year's Euros final, but they will use it in a good way - to fire themselves up.

In their eyes, I am sure it has been too long since they last won a World Cup - they were back-to-back champions in 2003 and 2006 - so that's their target this time.

Defeat won't end Morocco's chances of getting out of the group and I'd love to see them emulate their men's team, who reached the semi-finals in Qatar last year, but that is obviously a huge ask.

Brown-Finnis's prediction: 4-0

See all of Brown-Finnis' Women's World Cup predictions for the first round of fixtures in Australia and New Zealand

'Women's football is much more competitive now'

Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg says women's football has never been more competitive as they take on one of eight World Cup debutants.

The Germans have won two World Cups and eight European Championships - but nothing in the past decade.

"All the games are tight, women's football teams have come ever closer," she said.

"All the countries coming here are not only proud to be at the World Cup, but they absolutely have the quality to play here and to pose problems.

"We will have the same scenario against Morocco.

"We see this around the world, everybody keeps developing. Women's football is getting ever tighter in an athletic sense, but itself as a sport it is also growing, and we are proud that is happening.

"We live that and we love that, and are up for the challenge. It is much more competitive than 20 years ago when I was playing."

Morocco's superstar inspired by a legendary father

Getty Images

Trailblazing forward Ghizlane Chebbak on the enduring influence of her late father, Larbi - a star of Morocco's only Africa Cup of Nations win.

Read here.

From Morocco to Melbourne

Reuters

Getty Images

Reuters

There are eight debutants at this tournament, including Morocco.

The first six - Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Vietnam, the Philippines, Haiti and Zambia - all lost without scoring.

Panama face Brazil later today.

Morocco become the first Arab team to play at a Women's World Cup.

Captain Ghizlane Chebbak said: "We are not here just to make up the numbers, but to compete.

"We are honoured to be the first Arab country to take part.

"We feel that we have to shoulder a big responsibility to show a good image, and to show the achievements that the Moroccan football team has made in terms of progress by qualifying.

"This is a great milestone for us and we hope that our match with Germany will pave the way for other matches."

'Let's get Russo doing what she does best'

BBC Sport

England need to start scoring some goals soon at this Fifa Women's World Cup, but the current lack of cutting edge is certainly not Alessia Russo's fault.

It is more than five and a half hours since the Lionesses found the net in open play, and they had to rely on Georgia Stanway's twice-taken penalty to edge past Haiti in their opening game in Group D.

Russo has gone even longer since finding the net at international level, going back to February's win over South Korea, but I am not worried about her form with tougher games against Denmark and China to come.

She may not have scored against Haiti, but she still led the line really well and did all the right things for the team. In fact, the only part of her game I want to see her do differently is to get in the box more.

Read the rest of Ellen White's column here.

Team news - Oberdorf missing for Germany

Emma Sanders

BBC Sport in Australia

Germany are missing two key players for their opening match of the tournament.

Wolfsburg midfielder Lena Oberdorf, who many have tipped to be one of the stars of the World Cup, is ruled out with a thigh injury.

Defender Marina Hegering is also out with a foot injury, but talismatic striker Alexandra Popp, who captains the side, starts up front.

Chelsea's Melanie Leupolz is in the starting XI too.

Germany XI: Frohms, Hendrich, Huth, Popp, Dabritz, Rauch, Leupolz, Buhl, Magull, Brand, Doorsoun.

Subs: Berger, Johannes, Hagel, Kleinherne, Schueller, Lohmann, Freigang, Lattwein, Nuesken, Anyomi, Hergering, Oberdorf.

BBC Sport

Tottenham striker Rosella Ayane starts for Morocco and could be a key player for them in Melbourne this evening.

Forward Ghizlane Chebbak captains the side. Defender Nouhaila Benzina, who could become the first player to wear a hijab at a World Cup if she comes on, is on the bench.

Morocco XI: Er-Rmichi, Redouani, Kassi, Nakkach, Chebbak, Tagnaout, Lahmari, Ait el Haj, Ouzraoui, Mrabet, Ayane.

Subs: Zouhair, Arouaissa, Benzina, El Chad, Amani, Jraidi, Badri, Seghir, Mazrouai, Gharbi, Chapelle, Bouftini.

BBC Sport

BBC

Hello and welcome to live text commentary of Germany v Morocco.

Two-time winnners v tournament debutants, world number two v world number 72.