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Germany hit 10 past Ivory Coast in Women's World Cup opener

By Adam Higgins
Jun 7, 2015
4 min read

Pre-tournament favourites Germany annihilated a hapless Ivory Coast in Ottawa to make a convincing start in Group B of the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Celia Sasic netted a hat-trick and Anja Mittag bagged a brace as Silvia Neid’s team were 5-0 up inside 35 minutes against the World Cup debutants and lowest-ranked nation in the tournament.

It could have been much more in the first half but for a host of fine saves from keeper Dominique Thiamale as the naïve Ivorian defence was wide open.

After the break, Mittag completed her own treble with a composed one-on-one finish before Simone Laudehr and substitutes Sara Dabritz and Melanie Behringer inflicted further damage.

Left-winger Alexandra Popp curled home a sumptuous free-kick to take Germany into double figures five minutes from time as they ran riot in the sunshine in the Canadian capital.

The 2013 European champions issued an outstanding statement of their intent to add to the two world titles they claimed in 2003 and 2007 by breezing to within a goal of their record tally in their opening game.

Ivory Coast team huddle pre-match (v Germany Women - 7th June 2015).png

Newcomers: Tournament outsiders Ivory Coast were given a harsh lesson in their first World Cup game by the two-time winners (Picture from BBC Sport)

Clementine Toure’s side – in only their third tournament – gave a better account of themselves in the second half but it was a sobering experience in their first ever meeting with the world’s number one team as they slumped to the heaviest loss in their 27-year existence.

Germany, who missed out on the semi-finals on home soil in 2011, top the group on goal difference after the first round of games ahead of Norway, who thumped Thailand 4-0 earlier on Sunday.

On Saturday in Group A, host nation Canada beat China 1-0 with a late penalty from Christine Sinclair in the opening match at the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton before a stunning strike by Lieke Martens gave the Netherlands a debut World Cup win over New Zealand by the same scoreline.

Germany were expected to dominate and did exactly that, enjoying 20 attempts on goal and 64% possession in a one-sided first period against the nation ranked 67th in the world.

They raced out of the traps to take a third-minute lead as Sasic got off the mark, converting a low cross from Bayern Munich right-back Leonie Maier from close range.

It got better 11 minutes later when 22-year-old Maier turned provider again with a well-flighted cross for Sasic to climb above Raymonde Kacou and steer a header into the bottom corner.

On the opposite flank, Wolfsburg’s Popp was an equally dangerous weapon and she set up the third with an intelligent through-ball for Mittag to slot home.

The PSG striker then got in behind to unselfishly square for Frankfurt forward Sasic to complete the fastest-ever Women's World Cup hat-trick by tapping into an unguarded net as Thiamale raced out.

Quick-fire treble: Sasic netted her three goals in 28 first-half minutes (Picture from BBC Sport)

And 10 minutes before the break, Mittag rifled home the best goal of the half with an explosive finish from another Maier cutback.

Germany’s record win was 11-0 against Argentina in 2007 and there were plenty of opportunities for them to eclipse that victory when getting in behind the high defensive line of Ivory Coast time after time.

An unmarked Popp somehow headed off target and left-back Tabea Kemme lashed over on the half volley when easily turning away from Fatou Coulibaly.

Sasic was also denied one-on-one by Ivory Coast captain Thiamale between the sticks before making way for Bayern Munich midfielder Dabritz at half-time.

Germany XI (v Ivory Coast Women - World Cup 7th June 2015).png

Fluid: Germany's flexible system proved too much for Ivory Coast to handle, particularly in the first half (Picture from BBC Sport)

Ivory Coast barely threatened but were presented with chances to attack through carelessness by the Germany defence through the pace of Rebecca Elloh and Ida Guehai in wide areas but lacked convicted and decisiveness in the final third.

The African nation made a marked improvement in the second period and had a goal ruled out when substitute Fernande Tchetche fouled Germany goalkeeper and captain Nadine Angerer.

They then had a strong penalty shout ignored by Canadian referee Carol Anne Chenard when Kemme stepped across Elloh as she charged into the box but nothing was given.

Germany took their foot off the gas but still created enough to add to their goal glut as Mittag missed a glaring chance in front of goal from Laudehr’s delivery.

But she made up for it by netting the sixth and her third by racing onto substitute Melanie Behringer’s pass through the middle to beat Thiamale with ease.

Lansdowne Stadium in Ottawa (Germany v Ivory Coast Women - 7th June 2015).png

Stage: The 20,000-capacity Lansdowne Stadium in Ontario, Ottawa, was the setting for the third and fourth matches of the tournament (Picture from BBC Sport)

Ivory Coast, who had six players booked, continued to fight but were guilty of surrendering possession and caught cold on the break as Germany, even in second gear, capitalised in clinical fashion.

The margins were widened further on 72 minutes when Frankfurt midfielder Laudehr got away from the Ivorian defence to stroke home before immediately making way for Lena Petermann.

Three minutes later, Dabritz opened her international goal account with a sidefooter into the roof of the net after Petermann powered away from Sophie Aguie to pick her out.

Ivory Coast should have notched a consolation but substitute Ange N’Guessan somehow headed over after Angerer inexplicably dropped Rita Akaffou’s cross.

But it got worse when Behringer prodded home from a corner after poor goalkeeping from Thiamale and Popp dispatched a 22-yard free-kick with aplomb to round off the scoring as Germany racked up the biggest margin of victory in an opening World Cup match.

Both sides are back at the Lansdowne Stadium on Thursday with Germany facing Norway while Ivory Coast take on Thailand.

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