Germany, the number two ranked side in the world and the last European side to win the Women's World Cup are sensationally out at the group stage after drawing with Korea Republic in Brisbane.

Germany's 1-1 draw coupled with a Morocco victory over Colombia in Perth means the North Africans have progressed in second place in the group behind the South Americans who had won both of their opening two matches. It is the first time ever in which Germany have exited the Women's World Cup before the quarter-final stage.

Going into the game with a vastly superior goal difference, Germany knew any victory over Korea would guarantee them progression into the knockout stages whatever the result in Perth.

However, the Asian side, giving a first international start to 16-year-old Casey Phair, roared out of the blocks. Phair immediately went within a whisker of becoming the youngest-ever goalscorer in World Cup history when goalkeeper Merle Frohms deflected her shot onto the goal post. The German reprieve was short-lived as minutes later, a similar through-pass dissected their back-line once more and Cho So-hyun this time gave Frohms no chance.

Although their talismanic striker Alexandra Popp headed in her fourth goal of the tournament shortly before half-time to level the scores, it was to prove insufficient for the Germans. Moments later in Perth, Morocco took the lead against Colombia through Anissa Lahmari to move onto six points alongside their opponents.

Despite knowing one goal would put them through as group winners, Germany were unable to score again in the second half. Just before the hour mark, Popp bundled the ball into the net again, only for the Video Assistant Referee to disallow it for a marginal offside call. A minute later, the evergreen striker, a survivor from Germany's World Cup winning squad in 2007, crashed another header against the Korean crossbar.

Thereafter, Korean manager Colin Bell, who coached for over a quarter of a century in Germany, sent on his tallest striker, the six-foot Park Eun-sun to play as a defender to mark Popp (5 feet, 9 inches). With Germany's most-dangerous weapon nullified, the Koreans held out for a draw.

Germany, twice world champions this century, had began the competition with a resounding 6-0 victory over debutants Morocco. Their last-gasp defeat in a thrilling match against Colombia was a genuine shock, but with a final game to play against a side who had already lost both their matches, it seemed like a formality that the Germans would qualify among the top two positions in the group.

The German elimination mirrors that of its men's team at the 2018 World Cup. Then, they also played a final group game against a South Korean side which had lost both previous matches, needing to win, only to lose to two late goals. Then, as now, the Korean victory was not enough to save themselves and both sides went out in the First Round.

This time, it is Morocco, the first Arab nation to qualify for the Women's World Cup, who are the beneficiaries. They qualify on the basis of a 1-0 victories over Korea and today against Colombia.

In the first of those, defender Nouhaila Benzina became the first-ever woman to play at a World Cup wearing a hijab. Managed by former French international, Reynald Pedros, the Moroccans will take on France in the Round of 16, one of three African sides to make the knockout stages.

The exit of Germany, eight-time European champions, follows on from the elimination of Olympic champions Canada, Asian champions, China, and South American champions, Brazil, on successive days so far this week. Noe of those were as heavily-fancied to win this tournament as Germany in a tournament which continues to confound and captivate in equal measures.