Brazil’s first match was a spectacular success, as they defeated tournament newcomers Panama 4-0 with a hat trick from Ary Borges.
Brazil’s women’s team, which has been in all eight previous Women’s World Cups but has never won it, got off to a strong start and will play France in the next round.
Brazil topped Group F with a superb win in Adelaide after Jamaica stunned France by holding them to a 0-0 draw on Sunday.
Borges, an aggressive midfielder for Racing Louisville in the United States who is just 23 years old, stole the show with three goals and an assist.
She was a constant danger cutting in from the right, and her two close-range goals in the first half put Brazil in command; Panama never threatened again.
The emotional response to the national anthem by several Panamanian players and spectators attests to the significance of their first appearance at the World Cup.
However, under the guidance of Swedish coach Pia Sundhage, Brazil displayed a display of fluid, aggressive game that the Americans would do well to forget.
In the first 10 minutes, they had five shots on goal, and in the 19th minute, Borges scored off a straightforward close-range header after being left unmarked at the back post.
Just six minutes before halftime, she added a second goal. Borges’ first downward header was saved by Panama goalkeeper Yenith Bailey, but the rebound came straight back to her and she smashed it into the net.
Only three minutes into the second half, Panama’s hopes of coming back into the game were dashed by the finest goal of the tournament to that point.
Borges, ever a threat, received the ball in a well-executed team play and rolled it behind her with her studs, setting up Bia Zaneratto for a goal.
Twenty minutes from time, Borges capped off an outstanding individual and team effort by nodding in her third goal and Brazil’s fourth, with the ball sailing through the center of Bailey’s legs.
Marta, a striker for Brazil and probably the best female soccer player of all time, came off the bench in the last minutes but will have to wait a lot longer to become the first player to score in six World Cups.