Germany v. Ivory Coast

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Two Hat-Tricks As Germans Hit Double Figures

by Jeremy Ruane

Hat-tricks from Celia Sasic and Anja Mittag helped Germany romp to a 10-0 win over Ivory Coast at Lansdowne Stadium in Ottawa on June 7, a result which was as comfortable for the two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champions as it was predictable.

It took just three minutes for Silvia Neid's machine to open the scoring, the overlapping run of Leonie Maier rewarded by Mittag's pass into her stride. The fullback took the ball to the by-line before setting up Sasic for a tap-in.

The chances came thick and fast thereafter, with Ivory Coast goalkeeper Dominique Thiamale capturing the 20,953-strong crowd's imagination and support with her saves, as well as her dayglow-pink goalkeeping kit.

"The Elephants"' captain was first called into action in the fourth minute, denying a Maier drive, before blocking with her legs from Alexandra Popp six minutes later, and mere moments after one of the stars of NZ08 had missed a genuine sitter, Popp heading wide with just Thiamale to beat after no less than four German players had breached the offside trap in an effort to turn home Lena Goessling's cross.

After Thimale had smothered a Sasic drive, the scorer of the first goal doubled Germany's advantage in the fourteenth minute, Sasic heading home a virtual invitation to score, so good was the quality of Goessling's cross.

Vital tackles by Raymonde Kacou twice denied Sasic a hat-trick inside twenty minutes as Germany continued to pile on the pressure, but every once in a while, to the undisguised delight of the crowd, the Ivorians launched an attack of their own.

Their first such raid, in the twentieth minute, saw Ida Guehai release Rebecca Elloh down the right Tabea Kemme hurtled back to tackle her on this occasion, but four minutes later, Elloh was sent thundering down the right by a Josee Nahi pass.

The supplier of the pass raced forward in anticipation of a cross, which was duly delivered, albeit behind her. Fortunately for the African team, the ball ricocheted off a retreating German defender, presenting Binta Diakite with a glorious chance to score the goal the crowd were desperately keen to help the Ivorians celebrate.

Annike Krahn wasn't in a celebratory mood, however, and played the role of pantomime villain to a tee to deny Diakite at the death, and ensure the Germans would fulfil their objective of keeping a clean sheet.

After Thiamale had saved at the feet of Mittag following a quickly taken free-kick in the 27th minute, the Germans stepped up the pace, rattling home three goals in a six-minute spell, the first of which was steered home by Mittag in the 29th minute, upon receipt of a slide-rule pass from Goessling.

Two minutes later, goal number four came to pass, Sasic completing her hat-trick after Goessling intercepted an Ivorian pass and played in Mittag, who set up her striking partner for another tap-in.

Before the Germans went nap, Popp spurned another chance to get on the scoresheet - she couldn't even buy a goal at this rate! Simone Laudehr, one of the all-time-great German midfielders, set her up with a cross from the right, but Popp's downward header was blocked to safety by the legs of Thiamale in the 33rd minute.

Two minutes later, Germany got their fifth goal of the game, Laudehr the architect, Mittag the

executioner in emphatic fashion. She, too, was denied a hat-trick before half-time, Thiamale pulling off a double-save to deny both Mittag and Sasic five minutes before half-time, with Maier making a meal of the rebound.

The second half was eight minutes old when the crowd roundly booed Canadian referee Carol Anne Chenard, who ruled out a goal by Diakite for a foul on the hitherto unoccupied Nadine Angerer.

Two minutes later, Laudehr raced down the right and rounded a defender before setting up Mittag for what would have been her hat-trick goal, had she not steered the sphere wide of the far post.

She didn't have long to wait to stake her claim for the match ball, however, although prior to Mittag completing her treble, Popp was again thwarted by Thiamale, this time upon receipt of a Goessling free-kick to the far post.

Mittag's hat-trick strike was clinical. Pouncing on a defensive blunder by Elloh, the striker stormed through before picking her spot in the 63rd minute. Eight minutes later, Laudehr scored the goal her performance deserved, substitute Sara Daebritz combining with Goessling to send the midfielder marauding through.

Fifteen minutes from time, the Germans netted an eighth goal, Popp and substitute Lena Petermann combining to present Daebritz with a chance on the far post which she slammed home with gusto.

8-0 became 9-0 four minutes later. Goessling flighted a corner into the danger zone, where early substitute Melanie Behringer rose high to win an aerial duel. She was first to react when the ball dropped, swivelling to slam home a murderous volley which scorched Thiamale's gloves on its way into the net.

How Ivory Coast failed to get on the scoresheet nine minutes from time defies logic. Elloh's cross from the right was spilled by Angerer, and there, poised to pounce four yards out and with the goal at her mercy, was substitute Ange Nguessan.

Saskia Bartusiak looked to hook the ball clear as the Ivorian looked to head home, and the German defender's efforts to avert the danger had the desired effect, with Nguessan heading over with the goal gaping in front of her - cue a collective groan from the crowd, who were itching to see the underdogs gain some reward on their first appearance at this level of the world game.

That miss was the cue for Germany to lay siege to Ivory Coast's goal in pursuit of double figures. Thiamale saved at the feet of Petermann and flew to her left to deny Mittag's twenty-yarder in the next few minutes, but she had no chance when Popp unleashed an absolute screamer of a free-kick into the bottom far corner from twenty yards on the angle five minutes from time.

That iced the cake for Germany, whose 10-0 romp was as close to being the perfect start as coach Silvia Neid could have wished for, against opponents who didn't aid their cause through indiscipline - six Ivory Coast players were shown the yellow card during this mis-match.

Germany: Angerer; Maier, Krahn, Bartusiak; Goessling, Leupolz (Behringer, 17), Laudehr (Petermann, 73), Kemme; Sasic (Daebritz, 46), Mittag, Popp

Ivory Coast: Thiamale (booked, 40); Kacou, Aguie (booked, 58), Coulibaly (booked, 70), Kpaho (Tchetche, 38); Akaffou (booked, 36), N. Essoh (Nrehy, 51), Guehai; Nahi (booked, 86), Diakite, Elloh (booked, 66) (Nguessan, 72)

Referee: Carol Anne Chenard (Canada)

2015 Draw