Germany's U17 Women Secure Early Round of 16 Qualification in Morocco
The German U17 women's national team has delivered an impressive performance at the World Cup in Morocco, achieving their second victory and securing an early spot in the Round of 16. With a decisive score of 4-2 (3-0) against the host nation in Salé, just outside the Moroccan capital of Rabat, the DFB team has clinched first place in Group A with their superior head-to-head results, even before their final group match against New Zealand on Friday (live on DAZN and FIFA+ at 8 PM).
In a first half where the German squad showcased their dominance, goals from Marie Kleemann (27th minute), Lena Martens (34th), and Clara Choisy (45+2) put them firmly in control. After the break, Mia Giesen converted a penalty kick (50th minute), while Nessma Mouradi managed to score twice for Morocco (64th and 90+5 via a penalty), but it was not enough to alter the outcome. Head coach Sabine Loderer expressed her satisfaction, stating, "We wanted to ensure first place in the group and advance to the knockout stage with a win, and we achieved that. This marks the minimum goal for us at the World Cup. The girls performed excellently. It became a bit hectic in the second half, but that’s normal considering the atmosphere here; the girls at this age aren’t used to it. We are now looking ahead to our next match against New Zealand, where we aim to perform well and prepare for the knockout stages. Over the past 28 months, we have been taking things step by step with this team, and it has been fruitful."
Match Highlights and Performance Analysis
Unlike their cautious start in the previous match against Argentina, where they won 2-1, the German team began the game energetically, taking advantage of the pleasant 22-degree temperatures. Clara Choisy had an early opportunity just 50 seconds into the match. The DFB team maintained possession and applied aggressive pressing, seeking to exploit the gaps in the Moroccan defense, who had entered the tournament with a strong 4-0 win against New Zealand.
Morocco had the first significant chance when Sonia Abajiou's shot from ten meters was saved by German goalkeeper Mirja Kropp (10th minute). Following this, Morocco displayed more assertiveness, leading to a competitive exchange in the midfield. However, Germany quickly regained the initiative and created several dangerous situations in quick succession. A clever cross from Kleemann forced Moroccan goalkeeper Fatiha Naam to parry the ball forward, and Martens' follow-up shot was blocked. Just two minutes later, the host team narrowly avoided an own goal when Hiba Youssoufi cleared a dangerous ball from Kleemann onto the post (19th minute). Naam made another crucial save from Laura Ernst’s header (20th minute).
Once the German team overcame the initial pressure from Morocco, they struck decisively. After a free kick from Mia Giesen was only half-cleared, Kleemann seized the opportunity to score from close range (27th minute). The European champions continued to dominate, with Martens cleverly redirecting a Giesen cross into the net for the second goal (34th minute).
The German team maintained control, with Muriel Dürr's long-range shot just missing the target and a free-kick attempt from Giesen causing further danger (45th minute). In a remarkable display of skill, Dürr dribbled past defenders in the opponent's box and set up Choisy for a clinical finish to make it 3-0 (45+2).
In the second half, a foul on Giesen led to a penalty, which she converted confidently (50th minute). With a comfortable lead, Germany relaxed slightly, allowing Morocco some offensive opportunities, but their defense remained vigilant. A dangerous cross from Morocco landed on the roof of the goal (58th minute). Nonetheless, Mouradi’s individual effort brought Morocco back into contention as she scored their first goal (64th minute). Germany responded with increased offensive pressure, although a fifth goal by Fiona Itgenshorst was disallowed for offside (72nd minute).
Morocco came close to scoring again with a powerful shot from Charaf Boughazi that went just wide (79th minute). A foul on Mouradi by German captain Johanna Hebben resulted in another penalty for Morocco, which Mouradi converted (90+5). Despite a tense finish, Germany's victory was never in jeopardy.
As reported by dfb.de.
