TALISMANIC STRIKER ALEXANDRA Popp scored twice as Germany thumped debutants Morocco 6-0 to launch their Women’s World Cup title charge in ominous fashion on Monday.

Popp’s 12th-minute header set the Germans on their way in Melbourne and she collected another before the break as the two-time champions romped to the biggest win of the tournament so far.

Klara Buehl added a third in Germany’s first attack after the restart before own goals from Hanane Ait El Haj and Zineb Redouani.

A last-minute strike from substitute Lea Schueller completed the rout as Morocco’s piece of history – the first Arab team to play at a Women’s World Cup – ended in humiliation.

On paper it was the biggest mismatch of the group stage, with 70 places separating them in the world rankings, and the gulf was apparent from the off.

The Atlas Lionesses showed glimpses of magic and had a goal disallowed.

However, a fairytale win never looked likely in front of 27,256 fans at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, a near full-house.

Germany, who won the World Cup in 2003 and 2007, went out in the quarter-finals four years ago.

But since then coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has overseen impressive progress, shaping a dynamic, front-foot team which finished runners-up at last year’s Euros to England.

They are among the favourites to bag a third title and had their first look at goal when Buehl’s low freekick fizzed wide.

They kept pressing and opened their account when Wolfsburg’s Popp climbed unmarked to head in her 63rd international goal from a pinpoint Kathrin Hendrich cross.

Morocco were on the back foot but skipper Ghizlane Chebbak had a sniff midway through the half, only for her long-range strike to be comfortably collected.

Lyon’s Sara Daebritz found the back of the net with a tidy finish soon after as Germany probed for an inevitable second, but the goal was ruled offside.

The second came seven minutes before the break with Popp, facing away from goal, shouldering home after Buehl’s menacing corner.

Buehl then pounced for their third seconds after the restart with Morocco still asleep, rifling home the rebound after Lina Magull hit the woodwork.

In end-to-end action, Anissa Lahmari was denied a historic first World Cup goal for Morocco when she was adjudged offside, before play switched back to the other half and Ait El Haj’s own goal.

The defender turned the ball into her own net after a defensive header ricocheted off her shin, with the second own goal coming as Redouani desperately tried to clear off the line.

Schueller made it six from close in as the clock ticked down, with a seventh denied by the offside flag.

Colombia and South Korea are also in their group and play on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Ary Borges hit the first hat-trick of this Women’s World Cup as Brazil crushed debutants Panama 4-0 in a scintillating opening to their campaign on Monday.

Far tougher challenges lie ahead — they face France next — but this was an impressive start for a Brazil side who have featured at all eight previous Women’s World Cups but never won it.

The stylish victory in Adelaide sent Brazil top of Group F after Jamaica surprisingly held France 0-0 on Sunday.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder Borges, who plays for Racing Louisville in the United States, was the undoubted star of the show, scoring three and setting up the other.

A constant threat coming in off the right, she pounced twice from close range in the first half to leave Brazil in total control at the break and Panama never looked like getting back in it.

Some of the Panama players and fans were in tears during their national anthem, underlining what it means to them to be at the World Cup for the first time.

But this was a debut they will probably want to forget as Swedish coach Pia Sundhage’s Brazil put on an exhibition of flowing, attacking football.

They racked up five attempts on goal in the opening 10 minutes and the pressure told in the 19th minute when Borges nodded in unmarked at the back post for a simple close-range header.

Six minutes before the break she scored her second. Panama goalkeeper Yenith Bailey saved her initial downward header but the rebound went right back to Borges and she slammed the ball into the net.

Any hope Panama had of getting back into the match was extinguished only three minutes into the second half and it was the best goal of the tournament so far.

A fluid team move took the ball to the ever-dangerous Borges, who rolled the ball behind her with her studs, allowing Bia Zaneratto to fire into the back of the net.

Borges put the seal on a hugely impressive personal and team performance by nodding in her third — and Brazil’s fourth — 20 minutes from time, the ball flying through the middle of Bailey’s legs.

The 37-year-old forward Marta, arguably the greatest women’s footballer of all time, came off the bench for Brazil in the closing stages but will have to wait a while longer if she is to become the first player to score at six World Cups.