Key events
Martina Voss-Tecklenberg speaks …
“I want to trust players to make decisions, to think about attacking and be creative,” said the German boss. “We want to have courageous players. We want them to develop a joy and passion for playing. I think we showed that at the Euros last year, with our defending, and with our willingness to counter-attack and play the ball straight away.
“That [style] means always being active and alert. We work on that both on and off the pitch – and our amazing players create a positive atmosphere, which is the basis for success.
“We want to be contenders for the title, to be a team who could be world champions,” she says. “That’s cool, a good feeling, and I think if everyone stays fit we can be a team to beat.”
Rosella Ayane: The sole member of the Morocco squad to play in the English WSL, Ayane made 12 appearances in the competition last season, scoring one goal.
The Guardian’s team guide to Germany
Germany’s football self-image, which was lost for a short time, is back. After the quarter-final defeats at the 2017 European Championship and the 2019 World Cup, the Germans were no longer considered favourites – but that changed at Euro 2022. Read on …
The Guardian’s team guide to Morocco
Morocco’s maiden participation in the World Cup is an achievement in itself. Hosting the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 was a huge boost to promoting the women’s game in the country and the side reached the final with a team largely composed of players from Rabat’s AS Far and some very talented individuals from further afield. Read on …
Early team news: German head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has to plan without Wolfsburg defender Marina Hegering, who is out with a heel injury, while her club teammate, the midfielder Lena Oberdorf, misses this opener with a thigh strain.
Morocco boss Reynald Pedros is expehas a full complement of players to choose from. Should the Frenchman pick defender Nouhaila Benzina, she will become the first ever player to appear at a World Cup wearing a hijab.
Group H: Germany v Morocco
Among the tournament favourites, Germany get their World Cup campaign under way with an opener against Morocco. The first Arab nation ever to play in this tournament, Morocco are 72nd in the Fifa rankings, the lowest in the competition and on paper at least, should be easily beaten by least year’s European finalists.
This match, however, will be played on grass, specifically that of the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium and the Atlas Lionesses will have taken heart from the performances of other “minnows” who have defied lowly rankings to give unexpectedly admirable accounts of themselves in the opening games of this competition. Kick off in Victoria is at 9.30am (BST) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
