Music: {allcanada} Canadians drop World Cup opener

Germany's mighty women's soccer squad proved too much for Canada on Sunday, defeating the resurgent Canadian team 2-1 in Berlin in the official opening game of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Kerstin Garefrekes and Celia Okoyino Da Mbabi scored for the two-time defending World Cup champions, the favourites to hoist a third World Cup in their own country, and a squad that hasn't lost a World Cup match since 1999, nor an opening game of a World Cup tournament — ever.

Canada's captain Christine Sinclair scored for Canada, launching a free kick into the top right corner of the net past German 'keeper Nadine Angerer.

Garefrekes scored on a header in the 10th minute, beating defender Marie-Eve Nault to a cross from Babett Peter from the left wing to the right side of the box, launching an arcing shot past Canadian 'keeper Erin McLeod that brought the festive crowd of 73,680 — a sellout at the storied Olympiastadion — to its feet.

Okoyino Da Mbabi doubled Germany's lead in the 42nd when she sprinted through Canada's backline to run onto a right-footed lob from Garefrekes for a 40-yard breakaway. She calmly slotted the ball past McLeod from the top of the six-yard-box as Canadian head coach Carolina Morace hollered at the referee that the play was offside.

Television replays showed Nault had played the German goalscorer onside.

The sixth-ranked Canadians certainly had their chances, but couldn't put a shot on target. Sinclair missed on a glorious chance in the sixth minute when Jonelle Filigno sent her in with a clear shot on net from just outside the 18-yard-box. The 28-year-old fired the ball over the net, rubbing her face in frustration as she jogged back up the field.

Eleven minutes later, Diana Matheson fired a blistering shot from the top of the 18-yard-box that whistled just over the top of the net.

The Canadians had said they simply hoped for a solid effort against the Germans, whose last World Cup loss was to the United States in the quarter-finals in 1999. The Canadians have stormed their way into the soccer's elite in their two years under Italian coach Morace, who's implemented more of a finesse, on-the-ground playing style. Morace has the Canadians boasting their best-ever FIFA world ranking and their first-ever CONCACAF championship title.

But the No. 2 Germans, with their methodical midfield and dynamic attack, have been ranked in the top three in the world for the better part of two decades. They defeated Canada 5-0 the last time the two teams met, at a friendly nearly a year ago, and 4-1 in the opening round of the 2003 World Cup.

Canada did well to keep the score 2-0 as the mighty Germans had several offensive rushes in the final 20 minutes.

There were scary moments midway through the second half when Sinclair was sent to her feet by a hard elbow to the face from Peter. Sinclair was on the ground for several moments and then washelped to the sidelines. She argued with the medical staff to go back on the field, saying "I'm fine," before re-entering the game moments later.

The Canadians next face No. 7 France, which edged 27th-ranked Nigeria 1-0 in the tournament's first game Sunday in Sinsheim.

The crowd that poured into Olympiastadion — almost entirely dressed in the black, red and gold of Germany — was the largest ever assembled for a women's World Cup match since the gathering of 90,185 that watched the Americans win the 1999 World Cup at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

The storied stadium was a picture-perfect setting for the tournament's "official" opening game. Thousands of fans were already bouncing to live music and guzzling beer on the plaza outside the stadium a couple of hours before kickoff, the Germans decked out in an array of festive hats and wigs, their faces painted with the German flag.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter tweeted before kickoff: "Here in Berlin's Olympiastadion. The arena is full! This is another sign of the enthusiam generated by Germany 2011."

One group of women wore T-shirts adorned with a soccer shoe with a stiletto heel and the slogan: "Football ist frauensache." Loosely translated: Football is a woman's thing.

Pockets of Canadian flags dotted the stadium — Canadian Soccer Association officials said 500 Canadians were in attendance. The Canadian players received a warm ovation from the almost entirely German crowd, who periodically broke into chants of "Deutschland" that roared around the oval stadium.