Germany will in fact have recognized the maths: A win was all that was required to make sure passage to the spherical of 16 of the Girls’s World Cup. However Canada had recognized the maths, too, and went out anyway. So did Brazil and New Zealand and Portugal, all gone for the need of a single valuable aim that by no means got here.
But a World Cup that has had some unbelievable moments — Jamaica eliminating Brazil, the U.S. workforce advancing due to a single, favorable bounce — acquired maybe its largest stunner thus far on Thursday: Germany, the second-ranked workforce on the earth, is out after the strangest end to the group stage in its historical past, two video games requiring just one win, and by which they acquired none.
South Korea, a workforce that was successfully eradicated earlier than the match even kicked off, a workforce that had not scored a aim earlier than within the match earlier than Thursday, took an early lead after which held on for a tenacious, unbelievable, nearly unthinkable 1-1 tie with Germany. That outcome was not ok for the Germans solely as a result of Morocco, one other unlikely contender, beat Colombia, 1-0, on Anissa Lahmari’s aim off a rebound from a saved penalty kick.
Morocco, after ending its win in Perth, Australia, quickly huddled around one another to observe a stream of the tip of the Germany-South Korea sport, which was performed concurrently throughout the continent in Brisbane.
The Moroccans, who represented the primary workforce from North Africa and a majority Arab nation to make the match in any respect, cheered, and sobbed, and shouted in jubilation after realizing they’d gone even past that, clinching one more alternative to play, in opposition to France within the spherical of 16. The sector of 32 groups on this match included eight newcomers; of them, solely Morocco superior previous the group stage.
“Roaring with pride for our Lionesses,” the team said on Twitter.
The German response, understandably, was a mirror reverse: dismay and disbelief.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Germany midfielder Jule Model stated. “We’re very disappointed. It wasn’t enough. We were motivated and wanted to play the game, but we couldn’t get it done on the field.”
To say that Germany has been constant earlier than now’s an understatement. It had at all times made it out of the group stage, and had at all times superior past the spherical of 16 to succeed in a minimum of the quarterfinals, a stretch that has now resulted in its ninth World Cup, the ninth Girls’s World Cup.
Germany had a well-balanced roster going into this match, however its type had come into query because it ready for its run. It had misplaced to Brazil and Zambia, and Vietnam saved issues shut in a warm-up match.
A loss to Colombia in its second sport had already made issues dramatic for Germany, which earlier than then had not misplaced in a bunch stage match since 1995. Colombia, due to that second win, entered the match’s last day of group stage video games in sturdy place to advance. It earned a matchup in opposition to Jamaica by successful the group.
Cho So-hyun scored within the sixth minute for South Korea, placing Germany’s probabilities for development in jeopardy. After Germany tied it up, briefly getting again in place for development, it was then Morocco that ratcheted up the stress with its scramble to salvage a failed penalty kick in opposition to Colombia.
What a approach to rating your first worldwide aim 🇲🇦
Catalina Pérez denies the primary try, however Anissa Lahmari on the observe up places it away for the 1-0 Morocco lead! pic.twitter.com/9i3a4hE0VP
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 3, 2023
Alexandra Popp, Germany’s star striker recognized for her leaping headers and completely timed finishes, noticed a number of probabilities for a game-winner thwarted. One hit the crossbar. One other was saved by the Korean goalkeeper, Kim Jung-mi. One other, which completed off a spectacular play, discovered the again of the online however was dominated offside after a video overview.
With every probability, Popp’s frustration visibly mounted as she grabbed at her brow and gnawed on the underside of her jersey. A aim, she knew, wouldn’t solely maintain Germany alive however would put it atop its group going into the spherical of 16.
As a substitute Popp, together with the remainder of its star energy, is gone.
“I just don’t know what to say and what’s going on here,” she stated. “That wasn’t what we wanted.”
