LAST UPDATE | 3 Aug 2023
GERMANY CRASHED OUT of the Women’s World Cup in the group stage for the first time in their history after a frustrating 1-1 draw with Colin Bell’s South Korea allowed debutants Morocco to advance to the last 16 instead.
With Morocco beating Colombia 1-0 in Perth to join the South Americans on six points in Group H, Germany finished third in the table on four points and will be heading home.
World Cup winners in 2003 and 2007, Germany reached the European Championship final last year and came to Australia as one of the favourites to win the trophy.
They knew a win against South Korea would take them through to the knockout stage and were expected to get the better of a side who had lost their opening two matches and had next to no chance of advancing.
But after they went a goal up early on through Cho So-hyun, the Koreans battled hard and defended ferociously to frustrate their opponents, who could not find a winner following Alexandra Popp’s equaliser.
The Germans said before the game they wanted more creativity after their shock 2-1 loss to Colombia, but they were unable to convert their many chances.
They had 13 shots to their opponents’ six, but only three of those were on target as Korea put almost everyone behind the ball in defence.
Sixteen-year-old striker Casey Phair almost scored for Korea inside three minutes when she latched onto a through ball, but her shot was brilliantly saved by German goalkeeper Merle Frohms.
But three minutes later the Germans went behind from an almost identical move, Choe Yu-ri playing a ball through to Cho, whose side-foot effort beat Frohms to find the back of the net.
The goal seemed to spur the Germans into action, and they dominated possession and territory after that, although they couldn’t find a way through the Korean defence.
They found plenty of space out wide on both sides and when the equaliser came three minutes from the break, it was no surprise it was from a cross.
Svenja Huth put in a delightful ball for skipper Popp, who rose above the Korean defenders to powerfully head home.
The Germans came out firing after the break and threw everything at the Koreans.
They had a goal disallowed for offside in the 59th minute, before Popp smacked the bar with another header moments later.
As the clock ticked down the Germans became more and more desperate but despite plenty of endeavour, they never really looked like finding a winner in the 13 minutes of stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Anissa Lahmari’s winner powered Morocco past Colombia. Morocco’s upset in Perth lifted them to six points and they finished runners-up in Group H to Colombia on goal difference.
Colombia will play Jamaica in the round of 16, while Morocco face France.
It was a fairytale result for Morocco, who have rebounded from a humiliating 6-0 drubbing on their debut against Germany with wins over South Korea and Colombia.
In front of 17,342 fans, the sole goal arrived moments before half-time when Ibtissam Jraidi was impeded in the box by a clumsy Daniela Arias.
Captain Ghizlane Chebbak’s penalty kick was spectacularly saved by lunging goalkeeper Catalina Perez, who dived to her left.
But Sakina Ouzraoui pounced on the deflection and her nifty pass found Lahmari who made no mistake from close range.
Colombia, wearing their yellow shirts, fielded a full-strength team despite having effectively qualified to the last 16 before this game.
Real Madrid striker Linda Caicedo, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 15 but made a full recovery, took her place after x-rays cleared her of any health issues.
Caicedo, who scored goals in Colombia’s wins against South Korea and Germany, had suffered breathing difficulties against the Germans just days after collapsing in training with chest pain.
Midfielder Mayra Ramirez overcame a knee injury sustained against Germany.
But Morocco took heed of coach Reynald Pedros’ plea to play aggressively with a dashing Jraidi forcing Perez into a save in the opening minute.
An attacking Morocco continued to dictate the early exchanges with Chebbak and Fatima Tagnaout particularly influential.
Tagnaout set up Lahmari whose long-range strike on the half hour sailed well over the bar.
Caicedo had limited impact and copped an errant tackle to her foot which had her writhing on the turf.
She was finally involved just before half-time with several menacing dashes down the right, but Colombia couldn’t capitalise.
Morocco made them pay with Lahmari’s goal putting the group on a knife’s edge at the interval.
Colombia came out aggressively and almost equalised on the hour when Daniela Montoya’s bullet was brilliantly saved by Morocco goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi.
They continued to press with Ramirez slamming a powerful shot from a tight angle into the right post.
But Morocco hung on to trigger wild celebrations from their players.
