Facing their Group B rivals, the host nation, Australia, needed a victory to secure advancement, and they delivered an impressive performance in front of a near-28,000-strong crowd in Melbourne.
The Matildas wasted no time in taking the lead, with Hayley Raso of Real Madrid firing a shot into the bottom corner just nine minutes into the game. Raso added a second goal from a corner shortly before half-time, firmly establishing Australia’s control over the match.
In the second half, the Matildas continued their dominance, and Mary Fowler, the forward from Manchester City, scored to make it 3-0 after 13 minutes.
Steph Catley’s late penalty sealed the resounding victory over the Olympic Gold Medalists.
By winning, Australia moved ahead of both Canada and Nigeria in the Group B standings and secured the top spot. They will now face the second-place team from Group D, which could be the Netherlands, United States, or Portugal, in the round of 16 match to be held in Sydney next Tuesday.
As they progress to the knockout stages, Arnold’s team aims to surpass their previous World Cup performances and hopes to achieve even greater success in the upcoming weeks.