Germany, Norway cruise with big-margin wins

Germany and Norway are way too much to their opponents in Group B as both teams cruised to big-margin wins Sunday at the 2015 Canada Women's World Cup here.

Norway outclassed Thailand 4-0 in style in the opener of Group B when Isabell Herlovsen scored twice. Germany scored five goals in each half to pocket a 10-0 victory over Cote d'Ivoire.

Norway, World Cup winners in 1995, needed only 34 minutes to lead 3-0 after Trine Ronning opened the scoreline at the 15th minute and Herlovsen hit the target twice.

Thailand organized some attacks in the second half but Ada Hegerberg extended the lead at the 68th minute. Maren Mjelde missed a penalty kick at the 75th minute to give Norway a bigger margin win.

Norway's head coach Even Pellerud said, "We're a physically better team. We have the technical maturity. But we still need more practice on penalty kicks and try to do better on defence."

It was the same story for the tie between Germany and Cote d'Ivoire, or much easier for the winners.

Celia Sasic and Anja Mittag scored three goals each, putting the game beyond doubt on 6-0 with just over an hour.

"We're very concentrated on this game. We just kept going and they lost their energy. I'm glad to have win the first game and have 10 beautiful goals," German coach Silvia Neid said.

"We must forget the negative part of the game - the score. For the positive part, it's a good experience to us. To play the best team in the world is the best lesson for us," said Cote d'Ivoire head coach Clementine Toure.

Germany will face Norway four days later, which will decide the final positions of the group. Endi