- Selecao off to the perfect start
- Match ball claimed by Borges
- First World Cup game for Panama
TELL ME MORE: The Samba stars dominated from the off, with their first effort on goal coming in the opening 60 seconds. Yellow shirts flooded forward at every opportunity, with it quickly becoming apparent that it was only a matter of time before the deadlock would be broken.
Ary Borges, who plies her club trade in the NWSL with Racing Louisville, forced the breakthrough with 19 minutes on the clock when she was left unmarked at the back post to convert a stooping header. She also added Brazil’s second six minutes before half-time.
Borges’ first effort – a towering header from six yards out – produced a smart save from Panama goalkeeper Yenith Bailey, but she was not to be denied and duly converted the rebound as she slotted into the bottom corner after reacting quicker than the red jerseys tumbling around her.
Despite being on a hat-trick, Borges turned provider for Brazil’s third three minutes into the second half. She could have gone for goal herself following a slick move and cross into the box, but she back-heeled instead for Bia Zaneratto to crash home behind her.
Borges was the undoubted star of the show by that point and landed herself a much-deserved match ball in the 70th minute when cutting across her marker to turn another header through the legs of the over-worked Bailey. Legendary forward Marta was introduced off the bench late in the game to make her first appearance at a sixth World Cup finals.
THE MVP: Brazil were always going to have far too much in tank for their plucky opponents, despite supposed underdogs having fared admirably during the early exchanges in Australia and New Zealand. The Selecao had an abundance of attacking options at their disposal, with Borges proving as much as he broke forward from midfield at every opportunity. She has never been prolific throughout her career to date, but displayed striker’s instincts when finding space inside the penalty area on two occasions. She used her head to great effect, with her first effort nodded into the net while a second came after she sprung high above statuesque markers to to prod home when offered another bite of the cherry. Borges then showed her selfless side when teeing up Zaneratto, before completing her hat-trick with another header.
THE BIG LOSER: Panama’s defence will be having nightmares about raiders in yellow jerseys and blue shorts. Few expected much from the Central American nation, on what was their first appearance at FIFA’s flagship event, but they were given the rudest of awakenings by Brazil on what was a historic night for La Marea Roja. Bailey did perform admirably between the sticks, repelling a number of efforts on target, but was left hopelessly exposed by those in front of her far too often and the final scoreline really should have been even more lopsided.
MATCH IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? Brazil have now taken control of Group F and will book their place in the knockout rounds if they can overcome France on Matchday Two. That contest will take place on July 29, with Panama facing Jamaica on the same day as they look to spring a surprise by reaching the last 16.
MATCH RATING: ⭐⭐⭐