The Matildas have booked their spot in the Women’s Asian Cup quarter-finals, but need to defeat South Korea in Sydney on Sunday to qualify top of Group A despite a 4-0 win over Iran.
Hours after South Korea took command of their group with a 3-0 win over The Philippines, Australia responded with a comprehensive win, thanks to goals to Amy Sayer, Mary Fowler and a rare Alanna Kennedy brace at Gold Coast Stadium.
It means the winner of Australia’s clash with Korea will determine which of the group’s two best teams will finish top and with it, ensure a stay in Sydney for the quarter-finals.
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Korea’s one-goal goal difference advantage means a draw for the Matildas against South Korea would see them finish second and send them back to Perth for a quarter-final and potentially a semifinal.
Mary Fowler scores her goal. Credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Like their first-up win over The Philippines on Sunday, an early goal proved vital for the Matildas — only this time they added to it, looking increasingly confident against an Iran side who struggled to match them.
Despite the Video Assistant Referee scrubbing out two Matildas goals for fractional offside in the opening 45, goals to Sayer, Fowler and Kennedy gave the hosts a 3-0 lead at the break.
Kennedy, who impressed in the middle of the park, nodded home a second of the game from a corner after half-time, but Australia may rue their inability to add to the scoreboard further.
The writing was on the wall from the third minute when Iranian goalkeeper Maryam Yektaei saved Emily van Egmond’s low free-kick, before Sayer’s in-swinging cross in the eighth minute, eluded everyone and found the top corner of the net.
Alanna Kennedy celebrates one of her two goals. Credit: Albert Perez/Getty Images
Kerr should have made it 2-0 minutes later when she lobbed wide after latching onto van Egmond’s long ball, before the VAR chalked off Caitlin Foord’s clinical finish due to a marginal offiside.
In her first start for the Matildas since suffering a torn ACL last year, Fowler marked her return with a goal after Foord’s tempting cross was spilled by Yektaei and the Manchester City midfielder was able to force the ball over the line from close-range.
And it was 3-0 in the 25th minute when Kerr poked a losse ball in the box back to Kennedy, whose well-executed first-time strike punched the ball into the corner of the net.
It could have been more at the break, but Yektaei made good saves from Ellie Carpenter and Clare Hunt, while Foord, Sayer and Kerr all missed chances and the latter was denied by another VAR intervention.
Sam Kerr. Credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Substitute Golnoosh Khosravi almost gave up a penalty within a minute of the restart, but once more, the VAR came to Iran’s rescue, while their first shot of the night came courtesy of Fatemeh Pasandideh a few minutes later.
But Kennedy made it 4-0 soon after connecting with van Egmond’s corner and coach Joe Montemurro almost immediately made a line-change in the final third, as stars Kerr, Foord and Fowler took their place in the pews.
Substitute Hayley Raso was forced into two concussion tests after copping separate balls to the face from point-blank range, while a series of Iranian injuries broke up the rhythm of the game and stifled the Australians’ tempo, preventing them from piling on more goals.
