Germany humiliates Argentina in 11-0 rout
SHANGHAI: Defending champion Germany kicked off the fifth women's World Cup on Monday with a stunning 11-0 demolition of Argentina - the biggest rout in the tournament's history.
Prior to the match the United States, ranked No 1 in the world ahead of its first game against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea today, was standout favorite to win the title, but Germany served up an ominous warning.
It turned the opening Group A match into a one-way procession of goals that astonished the hapless Argentines, and sounded a serious warning that it intends to hold on to the trophy it won in 2003.
The opening World Cup game became an embarrassment for Argentina inside the first 30 minutes when Germany went 4-0 up. Within the hour, the score was 8-0 and the Argentines had buckled for good.
The Germans were in double figures with more than 10 minutes still to run when striker Sandra Smisek scored the 10th goal in the 79th minute
That was her hat-trick for the night after hitting the target in the 57th and 70th minutes as Germany's push forward left the Argentinian team in tatters.
Another hat-trick went to Germany's legendary striker Birgit Prinz, 29, playing in her fourth World Cup.
She scored in the 29th, 46th and 59th minutes to become the nation's leading scorer of all time in World Cup play with 12 goals.
The FIFA World Player of the Year in 2003, 2004, and 2005, has been capped more the 150 times and scored more than 100 goals for her country.
Argentina was beaten 6-0 by Germany in the group stage of the 2003 World Cup, the former's only previous appearance in the tournament finals.
Germany opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Argentina's bumbling goalkeeper Vanina Correa knocked the ball into her net for an own goal.
She scored another own goal in the same fashion on the whistle that ended Argentina's misery. Other goals were poached by Kerstin Garefrekes, Melanie Behringer, and Renate Lingor.
Sixteen teams in four groups are competing in the World Cup in five Chinese cities. The final is on September 30th in Shanghai.
AFP
(China Daily 09/11/2007 page22)
