Mackenzie Arnold helped Australia extend their winning run to six matches with a 3-2 victory over Spain in the Cup of Nations.
More than 17,000 fans watched on at Parramatta Stadium in Sydney on Sunday as goals from Cortnee Vine, Clare Polkinghorne and Caitlin Foord gave Australia a 3-0 half-time lead, before Spain hit back with late strikes from Olga Carmona and Alba Redondo.
Arnold was starting her second match of the competition having kept a clean sheet in the Matildas opening fixture of the tournament – a 4-0 drumming of Czech Republic on Thursday.
Australia started strongly in Western Sydney, with Manchester City winger, Hayley Raso continuing with the good form that she has shown in the competition so far by laying on the assist for Vine, who swooped a first-time shot over the head of María Isabel Rodríguez with ten minutes gone.
Raso then popped up on the left-hand-side, and delivered a teasing ball into the area which Spain couldn’t clear – allowing veteran defender Clare Polkinghorne, who notched her second goal in as many matches at the tournament.
Chelsea forward Sam Kerr looked to have added a third with only 37 minutes on the clock, but she was adjudged to have taken up an offside position when a cross from Kyra Cooney-Cross fell her way in the area. On closer inspection, it looked as though Kerr had timed her run into the area perfectly.
It wouldn’t matter though, as the Matildas were rampant and did manage to add a third before the break. Steph Catley delivered a superb free-kick onto the head of her Arsenal teammate Foord, who made no mistake in guiding the header beyond Rodríguez to make it three.
Spain did show signs of resurgence in the second half and got a goal back on 72 minutes when a short corner routine eventually found the left-foot of full-back Carmona, with her half-volley finding a way through the bodies in the penalty area and beyond Arnold.
And they would grab another deep into second half stoppage time, with Marta Cardona laying the ball up for Redondo to volley beyond Arnold.
There would be no time for further action though, with the Matildas holding on to take the win. They will finish their Cup of Nations campaign against Jamaica on Wednesday 22nd February (8:10am GMT) .
Elsewhere, Risa Shimizu played the full 90 minutes as Japan were narrowly beaten 1-0 by the United States of America on Sunday evening.
The full back was playing in her second match of the SheBelieves Cup and having already lost to Brazil in their opening fixture, Japan were hoping to put in a better showing this time around against the US, who are ranked No1 in the World Rankings.
Mallory Swanson scored the only goal in a tightly contested match at Geodis Park, Nashville, Tennessee – delivering a cool finish past Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita for her fifth goal in as many matches for the USWNT. Honoka Hayashi was an unused substitute in the defeat.
Now, Japan will hope to end on a high and pick up points against an equally strong Canadian outfit that beat Brazil 2-0 in their second match of the competition. Shimizu and Hayashi will take on Canada on Wednesday 22 February (9pm GMT) at the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
