Hayley Raso scored a primary-half double and Mary Fowler struck after the break as Australia crushed Canada 4-0 to storm into the final 16 of the Women’s World Cup and ship the Olympic champions spinning out of the event.
In entrance of a febrile crowd at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Raso struck within the ninth minute with a low, proper-boot and doubled down within the thirty ninth from a goalmouth scramble as unused captain Sam Kerr cheered by the touchline.
Fowler made certain of the win with a deft contact within the 58th minute that pinged in off the precise submit, 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 every week earlier than the co-hosts’ subsequent conflict within the final 16, almost certainly towards Denmark.
Australia topped Group B on six factors, one forward of Nigeria, who additionally superior after a 0-0 draw towards Ireland.
Canada’s talismanic captain Christine Sinclair began on the pitch however bowed out of her sixth and ultimate World Cup in disappointment at half-time when coach Bev Priestman triggered a raft of substitutes.
With their event on a knife-edge after the three-2 shock by Nigeria, Australia performed with braveness and had been rapidly rewarded when Catley cross discovered Raso within the field.
She drilled a low shot contained in the far submit to place Australia in entrance. Although an offside flag went up, the aim was confirmed by VAR, sending the gang into raptures.
They virtually made it 2-0 minutes later, however Raso’s shot was properly saved by goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.
Home followers had 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 aim 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 adjustments at half-time, with the retiring Sophie Schmidt approaching and blazing over the bar within the 56th minute.
But one other Australian raid minutes later ended with Fowler slotting in a cross from Caitlin Foord to blow out the lead.
Worse was to come back for Canada as Jessie Fleming clattered into Katrina Gorry simply inside the world to concede a penalty, permitting Catley to blast into the web for the coup de grace.
What is the schedule?
The group stage has begun and runs over a two-week interval ending on August 3. Group winners and runners-up progress to the spherical of 16, which takes place from August 5 to August 8.
The quarter-finals, which might be held in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney, are scheduled for August 11 and 12.
The first semi-ultimate will then be performed on August 15 in Auckland, with the opposite semi-ultimate going down on August 16 on the Accor Stadium in Sydney, which can then host the ultimate on August 20.
A 3rd-place play-off might be performed the day earlier than the ultimate on August 19 in Brisbane.
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