SYDNEY: Kadidiatou Diani netted a hat-trick, including two penalties, to lead France to a frenzied 6-3 victory over debutants Panama on Wednesday and into the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup. Les Bleues needed only a draw in the Group F finale against winless Panama. After conceding in the second minute, fifth-ranked France dominated, with goals from Maelle Lakrar, Lea Le Garrec and Vicki Becho, despite playing without captain Wendie Renard and all-time leading scorer Eugenie Le Sommer. Marta Cox made history by scoring Panama’s first-ever Women’s World Cup goal — and the quickest at this tournament at 1:07 — with a stunning 35-yard free kick that curled into the top corner. Cox burst into tears before being mobbed by team mates. Lakrar finally got France on the scoresheet in the 21st minute with a header that goalkeeper Deysire Salazar could not keep out. Diani netted her first seven minutes later, pouncing from six yards out after a goalmouth scramble, before converting from the penalty spot for her second after a handball in the area. Le Garrec scored just before halftime with an intended long cross that curled into the net, putting Les Bleues up 4-1. Diani completed her hat-trick with another penalty seven minutes after the break following a handball in the box. Trailing 5-1, Yomira Pinzon added a second for Las Canaleras — the Canal Girls — from the penalty spot in the 64th minute, to the delight of a largely neutral Sydney Football Stadium crowd of 40,498, after a foul by Elisa De Almeida on Riley Tanner.