Matildas rain goals as Olympics beckon

THE Matildas are another step closer to the Olympics, after gorging on goals once again.

Six goals scored against Thailand at Campbelltown Stadium added to seven at the same venue last Friday, putting Ante Milicic’s side in pole position to qualify for the final round of Olympic qualifying.

After Caitlin Foord’s hattrick against Chinese Taipei last week it was Emily van Egmond’s turn to notch three goals, with captain Sam Kerr again held back until the last half an hour due to her thigh strain.

Kyah Simon added two more and Hayley Raso another as Thailand had no answer in the end to Australia’s physical power.

Six-nil sounds like a thumping and in some ways it was. But until a second half blitz of four goals in six minutes the home side began to look a touch flustered as they chased the goals to reinforce their position at the top of the group.

The first half in particular was a disjointed Australian display, partly due to wholesale changes to the side that beat Chinese Taipei but still concerning enough for Milicic to ponder.

Van Egmond’s first two goals, both in the dying moments of the first half, put a much-needed gloss on the opening 45 minutes — both close-range finishes supplied by Ellie Carpenter from the right wing.

A pair of headed goals in the second half were Kyah Simon’s reward for another inventive display, and van Egmond completed her hattrick again from close range. Hayley Raso’s return a year ago from a broken back was a remarkable enough story, but her professional ascent since has been just as impressive.

The 25-year-old will fly out of Sydney at the end of this week bound for Liverpool in the UK, to join Everton

in the English WSL, and her effervescence in these past two games explains why.

Her willingness to run at defenders, and find pockets of space, gives the Matildas a directness in transition — and her second half goal against

Thailand showed her finishing ability too, meeting a Sam Kerr cross on the half volley to score emphatically.

The equation now is simple for Australia — get a draw or a win against China on Thursday, and a very reasonable playoff against Vietnam is all that stands between Milicic’s side and a place at the Olympics.

Unless China can beat Australia, they will face a play-off with South Korea — a rather tougher proposition.