Co-host Australia reaches quarterfinals with win over Denmark at Ladies’s World Cup

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia superior to the quarterfinals of the Ladies’s World Cup by beating Denmark 2-0 in Sydney on Monday.

Targets from Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso ensured the Matlidas weren’t the newest huge identify to crash out following the eliminations of holder america, Germany and Brazil.

The match co-host will face France or Morocco in Brisbane on Saturday.

Australian followers will begin to consider their workforce might go on to be topped world champion after star striker Sam Kerr returned from a calf harm to make her first look on the match.

In entrance of a crowd of 75,784 at Stadium Australia, the Matildas already put themselves on track for the final eight by the point Kerr made her entrance within the eightieth minute.

Foord fired Australia in entrance within the twenty ninth after operating on to a cross from Mary Fowler.

Raso drilled dwelling a second within the seventieth after Emily van Egmond’s lay off.

The Sydney Opera Home was lit up within the yellow and inexperienced colours of the Matildas as pleasure grew forward of kickoff.

Australian followers feared their workforce wouldn’t even get out of their group after dropping to Nigeria. However a 4-0 win in opposition to Canada in its last Group B match secured prime spot.

Again in Stadium Australia the place it started its marketing campaign on July 20, the Matildas have been nonetheless with out Kerr from the kickoff.

The striker injured her left calf on the eve on that opening sport and didn’t play within the group stage. Regardless of recovering from the harm, she was named as an alternative in opposition to Denmark.

Whereas she sat on the bench, Australia was nonetheless too sturdy for Denmark.

Foord’s opener got here after Fowler’s incisive cross from her personal half. Foord raced ahead and, reducing in from the left, slipped her shot between the legs of Denmark goalkeeper Lene Christensen to spark wild fan celebrations.

Foord was near scoring a second earlier than halftime when a shot throughout objective looped simply previous the publish with Christensen overwhelmed.

Van Egmond’s backheel from shut vary was then saved.

However the crowd celebrated as if Australia had scored once more when Kerr was proven on the massive display getting ready to return on.

Moments later, Australia did rating after Fowler discovered Van Egmond within the field and she or he laid off to Raso, who drilled a low shot by a crowded space into the underside nook.

Kerr changed Raso 10 minutes later to crown an evening of celebrations.