Women's World Cup 2023 Day 15 recap: Germany is knocked out as Morocco stuns Colombia

Germany has been eliminated from the Women’s World Cup.

The Germans are out of the Women’s World Cup in the group stage for the first time ever after a 1-1 tie with South Korea. Germany was prevented from advancing because Morocco got a stunning 1-0 win over Colombia. Morocco’s win got it through Group H along with Colombia.

South Korea took a 1-0 lead six minutes into the game on a goal by Cho So-Hyun. It was the first time in 12 Women’s World Cup matches that South Korea had been the team that scored first.

Germany controlled the game the rest of the way and got a tying goal from Alexandra Popp in the 42nd minute.

However, the Germans couldn’t get a game-winner over the course of the second half. Germany had just four shots on target but two of their best chances weren't on frame. That included a header from Popp in the 60th minute that bounced off the crossbar and a goal that was disallowed.

The loss means that Germany has advanced to the knockout rounds just once in the last four men’s and women’s World Cups. That seems unfathomable, especially after the women finished second to England at the Euros in 2022.

The German men won the 2014 World Cup but have been eliminated in the group stage in each of the last two tournaments. The German women won all three of their group stage games in 2019 and beat Nigeria in the Round of 16 before losing to Sweden in the quarterfinals.

Morocco 1, Colombia 0

Morocco became the lowest-ranked team in the FIFA Women’s rankings to advance to the knockout rounds, thanks to Anissa Lamar’s goal in added time in the first half.

Lahmari scored right after Ghizlane Chebbak’s penalty kick was saved. Chebbak stepped up to the spot after Colombia’s Daniela Arias had committed a foul in the box.

The win caps an amazing rebound for a Moroccan team that was demolished by Germany to open the World Cup. Germany beat Morocco 6-0 in a game that looked like a harbinger of things to come in Group H. Instead, Morocco beat South Korea 1-0 and then snuck past Linda Caicedo and the Colombians.

Colombia still won the group based on goal differential because of that blowout win and draws Jamaica in the Round of 16, while Morocco will take on France in the first knockout round.

As Germany’s men’s and women’s teams are both struggling on the world stage, Morocco is having the opposite World Cup run. The women’s advancement comes on the heels of the men’s team finishing fourth at the World Cup in December.

The women had to wait a few minutes after their game was over to see the Germany tie go final to know they were in the knockout rounds too. And their reaction was priceless.