Nigeria and Morocco shine as wonder goals rain down

India 0-3 Morocco

The Morocco fans turned out in force, drums and all, intent on drowning out the home supporters. Beaten 8-0 by USA on their tournament debut, the hosts began in confident fashion and had several chances to go ahead.

That honour went to Morocco, however, as Doha El Madani stroked home from the penalty spot at the start of the second half to become the first player from her country to score at a Fifa U17 Women’s World Cup. Yasmine Zouhir then pounced to double Morocco’s lead after a goalmouth scramble.

Djennah Cherif completed the scoring with a third for the north Africans in injury time.

New Zealand 0-4 Nigeria

No sooner had the players walked out onto the pitch in Goa than the rain came down. That did not stop Nigeria from probing away down the left in a dominant first-half display, and it was from that flank that Tumininu Adeshina sent in the cross that allowed Amina Bello to open the scoring with a glancing header.

Nigeria doubled their advantage when Miracle Usani sent in another cross from the left and New Zealand’s Manaia Elliott inadvertently flicked it past her keeper Aimee Feinberg-Danieli and into the net.

The Africans maintained their superiority after the restart. With 15 minutes remaining, they put together a move down the right that ended with Taiwo Afolabi firing home with her right foot from the edge of the box. Second-half substitute Edidiong Etim added a fourth in the closing seconds, stealing possession and striding forward to smash the ball into the top corner from distance.

“It all came down to our determination,” said Usani, reacting to her side’s long-range strikes. “We’ve trained hard and our coaches always tell us not to think about it and shoot whenever we get close to the box.”

Brazil 1-1 USA

This was a match that belonged to Leilane, who pulled off some superb saves to keep USA at bay and earn her side a precious point.

Both goals came in a first half in which a tearful Dudinha was stretchered off after falling to the ground, with Rebeca coming on in her place.

The pattern of the second half followed the first, with USA dictating the play and Brazil being kept in the game by their keeper, who was named player of the match.

Germany 6-0 Chile

Chile midfielder Tali Rovner’s father was in the stands directing the Roja fans as they cheered on their side. Unfazed, Germany took the lead through Jella Veit. A member of Frankfurt’s Uefa Women’s Champions League squad, she pounced when the Chile keeper spilt a free-kick into her path.

Alara Sehitler put the Germans 2-0 up shortly afterwards with a well-placed shot from the edge of the box, with Mara Alber then adding a third.

Marie Steiner made it 4-0 from the spot despite the best efforts of Chile keeper Catalina Alvarado. Substitute Loreen Bender added to the South American side’s pain a minute after coming on, before Laila Portella rounded off the scoring in stoppage time.