Ary Borges scored a hat-trick on her Women's World Cup debut to help Brazil thrash debutants Panama 4-0 at the Hindmarsh stadium on Monday and get their campaign off to a winning start.
The result takes Brazil top of Group F, after France were held to a 0-0 draw by Jamaica on Sunday. Brazil, whose best finish at the global showpiece was runners-up in 2007, have now won all nine of their opening Women's World Cup matches.
"We're happy, the first game is always difficult. Four goals, and we played quite well," Brazil coach Pia Sundhage said.
"I think Borges is happy as well, scoring a hat-trick, she played well today."
The tone was set for Panama in the first minute, when Brazil's Adriana raced through and stabbed a shot at goalkeeper Yenith Bailey, before Debinha and Antonia blazed attempts over the bar within the opening six minutes of the match.
The South American heavyweights continued to launch waves of attacks on Panama's backline, as they pressed for an opener, which arrived in the 19th minute when Debinha floated in a cross that was headed home by an unmarked Borges at the back post.
Borges netted her second of the match 20 minutes later as she poked in a rebound after having a header saved by Bailey.
The Brazilians turned on the style in the second half as Borges set up Bia Zaneratto with a backheel flick for the third in the 48th minute to finish off a well-worked team goal.
Borges put the icing on the cake in the 70th when she got on the end of a cross from substitute Geyse to become the first Brazilian to score a hat-trick on their Women's World Cup debut.
The 23-year-old was substituted minutes later, walking off the pitch to be replaced by veteran Marta in what felt like the passing of the torch for the Brazilian team.
Marta enjoyed a lively cameo, registering an effort on target with a free-kick, but the forward was unable to add a record-extending 18th World Cup goal to her tally.
Panama, who were pinned in their own half for much of the contest, had keeper Bailey to thank for keeping the score down as she made a string of excellent saves to thwart attempts from Luana, Adriana and Rafaelle.
Brazil next face France in a mouthwatering clash on Saturday in Brisbane before Panama take on Jamaica in Perth.
Earlier, talismanic captain Alexandra Popp scored a brace, as Germany launched their bid for a third Women's World Cup title with a 6-0 demolition of debutants Morocco.
In the tournament's greatest mismatch to date, veteran Popp led from the front, heading in two first-half strikes before Klara Buehl, Lea Schueller and two own goals blew out the score after the break in front of 27,256 at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
The Germans' cake-walk put them top of Group H on three points, with rivals Colombia and South Korea to play their opener in Sydney on Tuesday.
Seven months after the Moroccan men's fairytale run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, the Atlas Lionesses became the first Arab team to take the field at the women's showpiece, and they will hope for better in their next match against South Korea.
They were clinically dismantled by a machine-like Germany, who took little time to get into their groove and were ruthless to the finish.
Under the first burst of sustained German pressure, Morocco was quick to crumble.
A poor clearance allowed Kathrin Hendrich space on the right to swing in a cross that goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi completely misread and Popp thumped in from directly in front.
Morocco regrouped but there was no breaching the Germans' high press, though captain Ghizlane Chebbak launched a long-range effort in the 24th minute, causing goalkeeper Merle Frohms to scurry across her line for the save.
The first shot on goal energised the Moroccans but their set piece defending proved a dead weight.
A whirling Popp scored again in the 39th minute, Buehl's corner pinging off her head and shoulder.
An animated Chebbak demanded more from her team in a fiery halftime address but 23 seconds after the restart, the Moroccans conceded a third goal.
After Lina Magull hit the woodwork from close range, Buehl swooped on a clearance and filed a sizzling low strike into the right corner.
The night grew ugly for the Moroccans as defender Hanane Ait El Haj put the ball into her own net less than 10 minutes later.
Worse was to come as the Moroccan keeper punched a clearance straight into the head of a team mate, setting up a second own goal by Zineb Redouani, the first player to wear a hijab at the tournament.
Lea Schueller completed the rout in the 90th minute, smashing in the sixth goal after team mate Lena Lattwein's attempt pinged off the keeper.
Reuters.
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