Germany rout Nigeria to reach Women's World Cup quarterfinals

Germany's Alexandra Popp (left) scores their first goal against Nigeria during the Women's World Cup pre-quarterfinal match on Saturday. - Reuters

Germany advanced to the Women's World Cup quarterfinals for the eighth straight time, beating African champion Nigeria 3-0 Saturday at Grenoble, France.
Germany captain Alexandra Popp, playing in her 100th international match, scored in the 20th minute. Sara Dabritz made it 2-0 in the 27th with a penalty kick and Lea Schuller got the final goal in the 82nd.
Second-ranked Germany will play the winner of Monday's match between Sweden and Canada on June 29 at Rennes, a weeklong layoff that gives time for midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan's broken toe to heal. The Germans, who won the tournament in 2003 and 2007, have never failed to reach the quarterfinals.
Nigeria, ranked 38, were in the knockout phase for the second time, the first since they lost in the quarterfinals to Brazil in 1999, and they joined Cameroon to become the first pair of African teams to reach the knockout stage in the same Women's World Cup. The Indomitable Lionesses play England on Sunday.
Popp scored on a 4-yard header off Lina Magull's corner kick, her 48th international goal. A video review upheld the goal after determining Svenja Huth, who was in an offside position, did not obstruct the view of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
Dabritz scored on a low penalty kick beyond the outstretched left hand of Nnadozie, her third goal of the tournament and 13th of her international career. Evelyn Nwabuoko had tried to clear a ball but made a studs-up follow through into Magull, causing the penalty.
Nigeria had an excellent chance to cut the deficit in the 50th when second-half substitute Rasheedat Ajibade streaked up a flank and passed to an open Desire Oparanozie, but the ball was just ahead of the forward and rolled by.
Schuller got her ninth international goal following a giveaway by Halimatu Ayinde.
The Super Falcons were missing defender Ngozi Ebere and midfielder Rita Chikwelu, who served suspensions for yellow card accumulation, and forward Asisat Oshoala, who was injured.