Matildas thrashed by Germany in nightmare start to Paris Olympics

The Matildas have suffered a crushing start to their latest Olympic dream, outclassed 3-0 by Games powerhouse Germany on a stifling, dispiriting night in the south of France.

The World Cup semi-finalists — seeking their first ever Olympic medal — were simply not allowed to find their stride against the accomplished former champions in Marseille on Thursday on the eve of the Games start in Paris 750km away.

Germany, inspired by their brilliant winger Jule Brand, could have won by an even bigger margin ... and the bruising setback in group B leaves Tony Gustavsson’s side immediately on the back foot in a tough group also featuring a powerful US side.

It means the Matildas, who were fourth both in the Tokyo Games and last year’s World Cup, must win their next match in Nice on Sunday against Zambia — beaten 3-0 by the US later on Thursday — or their hopes of making the quarter-finals could be quickly over.

The Matildas barely created a worthwhile chance, with any decent approach being scuppered by poor build-up delivery.

The Germans were decisive winners with two headed goals for Marina Hegering and Lea Schueller from corners, before Brand fittingly wrapped up the most comprehensive of victories.

The Australians, who’d suffered a blow beforehand with injury forcing Tameka Yallop out of the squad, were quickly alerted to the danger of the excellent Brand, who got her shot away in the fourth minute after Kyra Cooney-Cross was robbed in midfield.

Soon after, a terrific quick ball delivered by German goalie Ann-Katrin Berger again found Brand, who cut inside Katrina Gorry and should have scored, only to fire high and not very handsome.

The Matildas contributed to a lively opening quarter but their high line left them vulnerable on the counter, with Cortnee Vine needing to make a key interception to stop Giulia Gwinn volleying the Germans ahead.

There felt an inevitability, though, about the 24th minute opener as Gwinn’s pinpoint corner to the back post was met by a superbly timed downward header by Hegering, who had bullied her way through Ellie Carpenter.

Mary Fowler, who had an ineffective night up front, nearly responded immediately afterwards, but was dispossessed when she turned to fire in the box, and the Tillies did have a couple of speculative efforts through Caitlin Foord.

Yet the Germans could have gone further ahead before the break only for Sjoeke Nusken to be stopped by a fine intervention from captain Steph Catley, who had won her battle for fitness.

The Australians were undone again from a Gwinn corner in the 64th minute, when Schueller was left unmarked to head home from six metres out.

Brand was then rewarded for her brilliance by tapping home four minutes later after a fine team move, starting from goalie Berger, shredded the green-and-gold defence.

The Germans had a fourth scrambled goal disallowed soon after for offside and threatened to inflict even more damage with the Tillies, who pushed in vain for a consolation after bringing on Michelle Heyman, surviving an even worse fate.

The Matildas face Zambia on Monday morning (3am AEST).

They then play their final pool game against the USA on Thursday.