Geelong: Australia recovered from a slow start to beat China PR for the second time in four days, claiming an emphatic 5-1 win in a match which was interrupted by lightning storms at Geelong’s Kardinia Park on Sunday.
Two goals from AFC Women’s Player of the Year nominee Sam Kerr, who broke an Australian record by scoring in her sixth consecutive international match, were complemented a long range strike from Kyah Simon, a tap in from Chloe Logarzo and own goal, as the Matildas ran riot.
Following their commanding 3-0 victory in Melbourne on Tuesday, Australia were expected to continue their fine form, but it was the visitors who opened the scoring though Ren Guixin in the seventh minute.
The 28-year-old got on the end of an excellent delivery from Xu Yanlu to steer the ball past Australian goalkeeper Lydia Williams and stun the crowd into silence.
The Matildas didn’t take long to respond, and they equalised just seven minutes later when Kyah Simon saw Bi Xiaolin slightly off her line and produced a superb shot to beat the Chinese custodian from 30 metres.
Alen Stajcic’s side stormed into the lead in the 25th minute, when Caitlin Foord caught the defence napping from a throw and delivered a low cross which was deflected into the net by Steel Roses defender Li Danyang, who had desperately raced back to help with the defensive effort.
To add injury to insult, Bi Xiaolin suffered a heavy knock while attempting to claim Foord’s cross and was replaced by Lu Feifei shortly after.
Much of the Geelong crowd had come to see the prolific Kerr in action, and the star forward gave them what they came for when she robbed Xue Jiao of the ball and forced it home despite substitute goalkeeper Lu getting a hand to it in the 38th minute.
It was far from the prettiest goal Kerr has scored in 2017, but it was one of historical significance, as she become the first Matilda to find the back of the net in six consecutive international matches.
The teams left the pitch immediately following Kerr’s goal, as a lightning storm temporarily made play too dangerous to continue, and the delay lasted in excess of 30 minutes before the players finally returned to complete the first half.
China took the game to the hosts early in the second period, and Ren twice came close to adding to her tally, with Williams forced into a solid close-range save just moments after she had sent a long-range shot whistling over the crossbar.
But Siggi Eyjolfsson’s side couldn’t capitalise, and the irrepressible Kerr added yet another international goal, her 11th in her six matches, when she capitalised on Lu’s poor positioning to head into an empty net in the 58th minute.
Kerr turned provider 10 minutes later, teeing up Chloe Logarzo for her first international goal as Australia completed their seventh consecutive international win, and added further evidence to their claim as 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup favourites.
China, on the other hand, will be hoping for an improvement at next month’s EAFF Championship in Japan.
Photos: Football Federation Australia
Source: the-afc.com