Hayley Raso, also known as ‘ribbons,’ on Monday gift-wrapped Australia’s passage through to the Round of 16 with her first-half brace and further strikes from Mary Fowler and Steph Catley.
The result saw the co-hosts seal a 4-0 win that dumped reigning Olympic champions Canada out of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Australia showed that they could cope without their star forward Sam Kerr, as Raso helped the Matildas make a flying start.
Her first goal came after a cross from Steph Catley that the Real Madrid forward smashed into the far corner, before Australia thought they had a second just after the half-hour mark.
But, following a VAR review, the referee chalked off Mary Fowler’s close-range effort for offside.
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Australia didn’t have to wait much longer to grab a second, though, as Canada failed to deal with a corner from the left.
Raso was on hand to tuck home at the back post and send the Matildas into the break in a dominant position.
Canada coach Bev Priestman knew what was at stake and she made no fewer than four changes at half-time.
But it was Australia that went further ahead as Foord danced past her marker, and found a surging Fowler whose effort managed to bobble over the line in the 58th minute.
A 94th minute penalty from Catley put the icing on the cake with the 4-0 win seeing Australia finish top of Group B, and set up a Round of 16 date with Group D runners-up in Sydney next Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two goals scored by player-of-the- match, Raso were her 13th and 14th international goals for Australia.
