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Australia’s World Cup party is set to last at least another week after the Matildas walzed into the quarterfinals thanks to a 2-0 win over Denmark.
Local girl Caitlin Foord set the hosts on their way, firing a powerful low shot between the legs of Lene Christensen midway through the first half after latching onto Mary Fowler’s long ball.
Hayley Raso capped her return from injury in the second half with the second goal following an intelligent lay-off from Emily Van Egmond.
But it was Foord, born just 100 kilometers south of Sydney in Shellharbour, who starred in her home state of New South Wales, where she once scored 28 goals in 86 appearances across four different spells with Sydney FC.
Now of English Women’s Super League side Arsenal, she only needed one goal here to get the party started — even through Denmark had enjoyed the stronger start.
Katrine Veje registered the first shot on goal after just 30 seconds, before Janni Thomsen flashed a dangerous ball across the box shortly after. Star forward Pernille Harder, fresh from signing for Frauen-Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, powered past four Matildas but saw her shot saved well by Mackenzie Arnold.
But Australia had Foord on the break, a constant outlet and a constant threat down the left wing. Having given her team the lead, she continued to be the dangerwoman, striking such fear into the Danish defense that Thomsen was forced to drag her down in desperation in the second half, earning a yellow card in the process.
Denmark were rattled and the vast majority of the 75,784 fans inside Stadium Australia were ecstatic. But the decibels hit another level when Australian hero Sam Kerr made her first appearance at this World Cup, coming on for Raso in the 80th minute.
It surely won’t be her last appearance, because Australia’s World Cup is still going full steam ahead.
Full report from Sydney to follow …
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