Hayley Raso scored a primary half brace and Mary Fowler struck after the break as Australia crushed Canada 4-0 on Monday to storm into the final 16 of the Ladies’s World Cup and ship the Olympic champions spinning out of the match.
In entrance of a febrile crowd at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Raso struck within the ninth minute with a low, right-boot and doubled down within the thirty ninth from a goalmouth scramble as unused captain Sam Kerr cheered by the touchline.
Fowler made positive of the win with a deft contact within the 58th minute that pinged in off the fitting publish, earlier than Steph Catley slotted a penalty in stoppage time as a relieved nation celebrated the co-hosts’ advance.
Canada bowed out on the group stage for the primary time since 2011 and with some remorse after having wanted solely a draw to advance.
There was no want for Kerr to be Australia’s saviour and the striker can relaxation her injured calf for per week earlier than the co-hosts’ subsequent conflict within the final 16, probably towards Denmark.
Australia topped Group B on six factors, one forward of Nigeria, who additionally superior after a 0-0 draw towards Eire.
Canada’s talismanic captain Christine Sinclair began on the pitch however bowed out of her sixth and remaining World Cup in disappointment at halftime when coach Bev Priestman triggered a raft of substitutes.
With their match on a knife-edge after the 3-2 shock by Nigeria, Australia performed with braveness and have been shortly rewarded when a Steph Catley cross discovered Raso within the field.
She drilled a low shot contained in the far publish to place Australia in entrance. Though an offside flag went up, the objective was confirmed by VAR, sending the group into raptures.
They virtually made it 2-0 minutes later, however Raso’s shot was effectively saved by goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.
House followers have been roaring once more within the thirty fourth 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 objective for offside, triggering an enormous spherical of booing.
It scarcely mattered as 5 minutes later, Raso was celebrating her second strike after Sheridan did not 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 world to concede a penalty, permitting Catley to blast into the online for the coup de grace.