The defeat meant that the Olympic champions, Canada, had been eradicated from the match on the group stage, which was the primary time it occurred to them since 2011.
Hayley Raso was the star of the match, scoring two targets within the first half. Her first purpose got here within the ninth minute with a well-placed shot from her proper boot. She adopted it up with one other purpose within the 39th minute from a goal-mouth scramble, a lot to the delight of the followers, together with captain Sam Kerr, who was on the sidelines.
After the break, Mary Fowler added to Australia’s lead with a deft contact that hit the best publish earlier than going into the web within the 58th minute. The victory was sealed with a penalty by Steph Catley in stoppage time, bringing pleasure and reduction to the co-host nation as they celebrated their development to the subsequent spherical.
Canada, needing solely a draw to advance, could not discover their footing within the match and struggled to deal with Australia’s brave efficiency. Their talismanic captain, Christine Sinclair, began the sport however was substituted at halftime together with a number of different gamers as coach Bev Priestman made modifications to try to salvage the match.
With this convincing win, Australia topped Group B with six factors, one forward of Nigeria, who additionally superior to the final 16 after drawing 0-Zero towards Eire.
Australia’s spectacular efficiency within the group stage implies that their captain, Kerr, who had been nursing an injured calf, can now relaxation and get better earlier than their subsequent match within the final 16, which is more likely to be towards Denmark.
Residence followers had been roaring once more within the 34th minute as Fowler charged in to thump the ball in from shut vary, with Raso offering the cross.
VAR once more intervened, this time cancelling the purpose for offside, triggering an enormous spherical of booing.
It scarcely mattered as 5 minutes later, Raso was celebrating her second strike after Sheridan didn’t clear the ball from a set-piece.
Priestman made modifications at halftime, with the retiring Sophie Schmidt approaching and blazing over the bar within the 56th minute.
However one other Australian raid minutes later ended with Fowler slotting in a cross from Caitlin Foord to blow out the lead.
Worse was to return for Canada as Jessie Fleming clattered into Katrina Gorry simply inside the realm to concede a penalty, permitting Catley to blast into the web for the coup de grace.
(With Reuters inputs)
