Brazil 4-0 Panana: Ary Borges hat-trick sees Selecao ease past Women’s World Cup debutants

Hat-trick hero Ary Borges got Brazil’s quest for a maiden World Cup title off to the perfect start as they dished out a 4-0 battering to tournament debutantes Panama in Adelaide.

The forward grabbed two goals before half-time for the Female Canaries, who were good value for the heavy victory thanks to a controlling display.

Pia Sundhage’s side were dominant from the off, pinning their opponents back inside their own 18-yard box. They nearly took the lead after just 42 seconds, only for Adriana’s shot to be saved, while Debinha and Bia Zaneratto fired off target.

The opener eventually came on 19 minutes when Ary Borges headed home at the back post, and after Luana had forced another fine stop out of Yenith Bailey, Borges doubled the lead before the break when meeting Tamires’ cross.

There was to be no comeback from Panama, as Brazil continued their relentless pressure after half-time. Zaneratto made it 3-0 when she converted from Borges’ lay-off, before the forward completed her hat-trick when nodding home from near close range.

Ignacio Quintana did make a string of substitutions that managed to tighten his side up in the second half, but the damage was already done and the Canal Girls are left licking their wounds ahead of a crucial clash with Jamaica, one they must surely win to have any chance of progressing.

Brazil have never won the Women’s World Cup, with the closest they’ve got to lifting the trophy being when they were runners up to Germany in 2007.

However, they came into this tournament as the eighth best ranked team on the planet by FIFA, and showed exactly why they’re so highly thought of with a display that was more dominant than they can ever have dreamed about.

They picked Panama apart at will, enjoying in excess of 70% of the possession and having a string of shots that will have other title contenders looking nervously over their shoulders.

Ary Borges (Brazil). Three goals and an assist isn’t a bad return for the 23-year old, who could have had her hat-trick earlier if she hadn’t selflessly passed to Bia Zaneratto in the build up to the third Brazil goal.

The Racing Louisville forward put in a superb display, regularly drifting unmarked into pockets of space that appeared to be blind spots for the Panama defence.

It was her goal that got the ball rolling for Brazil, and from then on there was no looking back. With nine international goals now to her name, this could be a big tournament for Borges.

BRAZIL: Lele 6; Antonia 7, Lauren 7, Rafaelle Souza 7, Tamires 8; Ary Borges 10, Kerolin 7, Luana 7, Adriana 7; Bia Zaneratto 8, Debinha 7. Subs: Ferriera 6, Bruninha 6, Nunes 6, Marta n/a, Sampaio n/a Subs: Barbara, Rodrigues, Monica, Kathellen, Angelina, Ana Vitoria, Alves

PANAMA: Bailey 7; Castillo 5, Vargas 4, Pinzon 5, Baltrip-Reyes 4, Jaen 4; Mills 5, Quintero 6, Gonzalez 5, Cox 5; Riley 5. Subs: Natis 5, Tanner 6, Cedeno 5, Salazar 5, Montenegro n/a

19’ GOAL! BRAZIL 1-0 PANAMA (Ary Borges). It had been coming! Brazil take the lead as Debinha clips a delightful cross to the back post, from where an unmarked Ary Borges confidently nods home.

36’ SUPERB SAVE BY BAILEY! An overhead kick from Debinha doesn’t go to plan, but the ball somehow falls to Luana on the edge of the area, and her fantastic strike is brilliantly tipped over the bar by Yenith Bailey

39’ GOAL! BRAZIL 2-0 PANAMA (Ary Borges). Borges gets her second as Brazil double their lead! The forward has her initial effort well saved by Bailey, but tucks the rebound home after meeting another beautiful cross from the left, this time from Tamires on the overlap

48’ GOAL! BRAZIL 3-0 PANAMA (Bia Zaneretto). You will not see a better goal than this all tournament. It’s absolutely glorious! Debinha clips a cross in towards the back post. Borges brings it down and could shoot for her hat-trick, but unselfishly backheels to Zaneretto, who calmly converts into the top corner. Beautiful football

70’ GOAL! BRAZIL 4-0 PANAMA (Ary Borges). A World Cup hat-trick for Ary Borges! Once again it’s her head that does the damage, meeting an inswinging cross from the left and nodding confidently home. Clinical stuff

90+4’ PANAMA COME CLOSE. A moment of madness in the Brazil defence gives Tanner a chance to shoot for the bottom corner, but her shot is tipped away

• Brazil maintain their record of winning their opening group game at their nine Women’s World Cups
• Panama have conceded 16 goals without response in their last three matches