Brazil dismantle Panama 4-0 in their first World Cup group match.

To label the performance of the Brazilians impressive would be an understatement.

It was a day of records as Ary Borges scored the first hat-trick of the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup as Brazil cruised to victory over Panama.

The winger netted a double in the first half and set up Bia Zaneratto shortly after the interval with a backheel, before heading home the fourth goal.

It was a classical Brazil performance and something pundits and analysts saw it coming.

This win means Brazil maintain their perfect record of winning all nine of their opening games at Women’s World Cups.

They are well placed to qualify from Group F.

France are in the group with Brazil where they were held to a draw by the “reggae girls” Jamaica.

Both of Brazil’s goals in the opening 45 minutes came in similar fashion – perfectly clipped crosses from the left by Debinha, met by the head of Ary.

The first header beat Panama keeper Yenith Bailey, while the second was kept out but tucked away by Ary on the rebound.

Ary unselfishly gave up a chance to seal a hat-trick, laying off for team-mate Zaneratto to finish a superb team move into the roof of the net – but she completed her treble after 70 minutes by heading through Bailey’s legs.

Panama – one of eight first-time contenders in 2023 – were completely outclassed, rarely able to escape their own half.

The same optimism and praise cannot be directed the way of Panama, the last of the debutants to make their bow.

Like the other seven, they lost without scoring; but even compared to the others, the central Americans looked very limited – constantly overrun down the flanks, easily dispossessed in the middle and toothless in attack.

They were indebted to goalkeeper Bailey for keeping the score down. She made a fine one-on-one save from Adriana after just 45 seconds and produced a fine one-handed save to keep out a curling Luana effort.

Panama face Jamaica next in a game they must win – and produce a radically improved performance – in order to have a chance of progression.