Australia defeated the Philippines 8-0 in an Olympic qualifying match at Perth’s Optus Stadium. The match, watched by 60,000 fans, featured hat-tricks from Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord and Chelsea’s Sam Kerr.
The scoring was completed by Mary Fowler and Clare Wheeler, pushing the Matildas closer to qualification for the 2024 Olympics.
After their recent match against Iran where some new faces were tested, coach Tony Gustavsson reverted to his strongest XI, including captain Sam Kerr and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold.
This proved to be a wise decision as Australia showcased their strength and tactical prowess against the Philippines.
The first goal of the match involved a series of passes across the pitch. Centre back Alanna Kennedy passed the ball to Raso, who fed it to Kerr. Wingback Ellie Carpenter then took a through ball from Kerr and crossed it to Foord’s feet.
Foord set it up perfectly for Fowler to finish.
Not long after, Foord showcased her skills once again. She ran down the left flank and cut back to pass to Kerr, who scored with remarkable accuracy. Foord later found herself on the scoresheet after a precise cross from Fowler found Kerr, who deftly touched it for Foord to slot past Philippines goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel.
Foord’s exceptional skills were on full display in the 34th minute as she moved past two defenders to score her second goal. Australia didn’t let up, with Kerr adding another to make it 5-0 by half-time.
The momentum continued in the second half. Kerr completed her hat-trick within the first 24 seconds, thanks to yet another assist from Fowler. Foord followed suit, completing her own hat-trick 10 minutes later with a shot from a tight angle.
In a change of pace, Australia brought on some younger players after the hour mark. Despite this, the scoring didn’t let up. Wheeler, who had impressed in the earlier match against Iran, added her first Matildas goal.
Towards the end, the Philippines tried to strengthen their defence, but the damage had been done long before. A Steph Catley free kick in the 90th minute led to a header from Amy Sayer, which went high but showcased her potential.
The result places Australia comfortably at the top of their group, setting them on course to avoid facing Japan in the third and final round of Olympic qualification.
Foord’s performance showed why she is so highly regarded as she played a pivotal role in the Matildas’ dominant win.
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Suggest A/B headlines in sentence case: Caitlin Foord shines in Australia’s 8-0 win over the Philippines Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord scores hat-trick in Olympic qualifier
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Introductory Paragraph: Arsenal player Caitlin Foord was among the standout performers in Australia’s emphatic 8-0 win over the Philippines in an Olympic qualifying match. The match held at Perth’s Optus Stadium saw Foord score a hat-trick, further solidifying Australia’s path to the 2024 Olympic Games.
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