World Cup semifinalists Australia scored their best ever win against the Philippine Women’s National Football Team, walloping the reigning AFF champions, 8-0, on home soil in Perth on Sunday in front of 55 thousand fans.
Women’s football royalty Sam Kerr performed as expected, scoring a hat-trick to pad her international goal count to 68.
But it was all-around striker Caitlin Foord who carried her team to their second victory in the second round of the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament-Asian Zone with a hat-trick of her own and four assists.
Twenty-year-old phenom Mary Fowler opened the Matildas’ account in the 15th minute with a strike off a 1-2-3 play with Foord and Ellie Carpenter as Foord issued a running left cross to Kerr for the second goal four minutes later.
In the 30th minute, Fowler swung the ball inside the box to Kerr, who fed Foord for her first goal.
It was a rapid succession of goals for the Tillies as three minutes later, Foord scored her brace off a long ball from Hayley Raso off an interception of Olivia McDaniels’ goal kick.
The Matildas still pounced on in the first half stoppage time with a Kerr open run off a Foord through pass.
Kerr completed her hat-trick seconds into the second half with a header off a Fowler right cross and ten minutes later, Foord completed hers with a sensational solo run to strike goal at the right side of the six-yard box.
Seldom-used midfielder Clare Wheeler completed the Matilda’s romp with an outside shot in the 72nd minute, again off an assist by Foord, for her first international goal.
Bolden afforded only a shot for each half for the Filipinas but both were two soft to threaten Australia’s goal.
With the result, the world number 44 Filipinas absorbed their biggest loss against the world number 11.
It was also the second time in past three games the Filipinas conceded eight goals.
Kerr remarked that the score was “massive” in boosting the Matildas’ Olympic bid, which is only afforded to the top two teams of the ongoing qualifiers.
The Filipinas will attempt to negate their -5 goal difference and vie for the third round in their second round closer against Iran on All Saints Day
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