Australia have progressed to the semi-finals of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup with a 2-1 win over DPR Korea thanks to goals from relentless Alanna Kennedy and homecoming captain Sam Kerr.
The hosts struck early when Alanna Kennedy scored her fifth goal in three games and doubled their lead through a Sam Kerr stunner shortly after the break. DPR Korea peppered the Matildas goal and pulled one back through Chae Un-Yong, but the favourites held firm thanks to a strong performance from Mackenzie Arnold.
Australia will play the winner of China PR and Chinese Taipei in the semi-final next Thursday and have sealed their qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
It took the Matildas just eight minutes to open the scoring in the quarter final and the goal came courtesy of the most predictable duo.
Sam Kerr hassled and won the ball off An Kuk-Hyang deep within DPR Korea’s defensive third and fizzed a low cross into the box. Chae Un-Yong stretched out and got a touch, but the ball fell to Alanna Kennedy who coolly rolled the ball onto her weaker foot and slammed it into the net from the top of the box.
Her fifth goal in three games for her country takes the midfielder to the top of the golden boot standings in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
As it turned out the early opener was Australia’s best moment in the first half, and DPR Korea built into a rhythm of promising possession as the half went on. Mackenzie Arnold was called into action after 25 minutes when Kim Kyong Yong connected well with a header and forced her into a good save low to her left.
DPR Korea came within inches of making their dominance count in first-half stoppage time when Song-Ok Hong swivelled inside the area and sent her shot spinning across the face of goal and into the base of the far post. The Matildas were able to see out the half with their clean sheet intact, despite facing eight shots to their one and having their defensive third penetrated 51 times.
Australia cut a far more energised figure when they emerged for the second half and took just two minutes to reassure the home fans by doubling their lead. It was a high Australian press that forced an error from Kim Song-Gyong and the loose ball was picked up by Kerr and she slammed it beyond Yo Son Gum to mark her return to Perth with another goal.
20 minutes later, with the Matildas again unable to control the game after scoring, DPR Korea pulled one back when Kyong Yong slipped away from Ellie Carpenter and squared the ball for the arriving Un-Yong to poke home from close range.
DPR Korea built on their breakthrough and pinned Australia deep inside their half for a prolonged period. They looked to have unlocked the hosts in the 69th minute when Un-Yong was again involved and picked out Yu-Jong Myong inside the area, but she spun her shot narrowly wide of the back post.
The Matildas pieced together a flowing breakaway and came close to snatching a third when Caitlin Foord spun and lofted a perfect pass in to Kerr. When Clare Wheeler arrived on the overlap and curled her cross in from the left, it came at an awkward height for Amy Sayer and she couldn’t make contact.
The Matildas weathered the storm – Arnold finished with nine saves – and have two moments of star quality to thank for securing a cagey win in Perth and a spot in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup semi-final.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT THEY SAID
Sam Kerr
“I thought it was a really good defensive performance from us tonight. They’re a good side and they had a lot of the ball and there was a lot of pressure at the end of the game, but I think our mindset today showed – we came out both times and scored early and that allowed us to go on and defend the game.”
Alanna Kennedy
On if she thought she would be the tournament’s top goalscorer: “Definitely not. I know it wasn’t on a lot of peoples’ bingo cards – it also wasn’t on mine. I’m just so happy to contribute to the team and I’m really proud with the performance we put in tonight.”
Joe Montemurro
“Let’s be honest and realistic: they’re the best team in the tournament, they play great football. We knew that, we knew we’d be pinned down a little bit, we just tried to stop areas in midfield and when we were successful at that we were good.”
On facing China PR or Chinese Taipei in the semi-final: “They’re both good teams. Two teams that are very, very well organised. We might not find much space so we need the quality. It’s tournament football, it’s moments and situations. We took our moments, they didn’t, and it went out way tonight.”
