Morocco Thrash New Zealand 4-0 at Women's U17 World Cup
Morocco beat New Zealand 4-0 in Mohammedia in the opening match of the Women's U17 World Cup, taking the lead of Group A with 3 points.
Morocco's U17 women's national team began their campaign at the Women's U17 World Cup, which Morocco is hosting from October 17 to November 8, with a crushing 4-0 win over New Zealand on Saturday evening at the Mohammed VI Complex in Mohammedia, in a match the team had been preparing for in Group A.
Morocco dominated the first half without converting their chances, while New Zealand sat in a deep defensive block to try to contain the Moroccan attacks. The first half ended goalless.
Group A also includes Germany, Argentina and New Zealand alongside Morocco, in the first edition of the tournament hosted by Morocco, following several years of growing interest in women's football in the kingdom.
Second-half goals settled the match
Morocco came out strong after the break: Sonia Abajiou opened the scoring in the 57th minute with a precise header, before New Zealand defender Eden Chaytor doubled Morocco's lead with an own goal in the 70th minute. Imane Dhissi extended the margin in the 76th minute, and Hiba Youssoufi added a fourth goal from the penalty spot in the 82nd minute, sealing a 4-0 win for Morocco.
Group A standings after matchday one
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morocco | 3 |
| 2 | Germany | 3 |
| 3 | Argentina | 0 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 0 |
Germany beat Argentina 2-1 in their opening match, sharing the top of Group A with Morocco on 3 points each, pending goal difference or head-to-head to separate the two sides.
Upcoming fixtures
Morocco will face Germany in matchday two, before closing out the group stage against Argentina, in two decisive matches for top spot and qualification. Results and fixtures for the national team can be followed on the national team results and fixtures page.