Caitlin Foord scored her first international hat-trick as the Matildas gained revenge on Chile with a 5-0 thumping at McDonald Jones Stadium on Tuesday night.
In front of 12,649 fans, Australia bounced back from a shock 3-2 loss on Saturday in Penrith to trounce the world No.39.
Caitlin Foord celebrates her first hat-trick in international football.Credit:AAP
After a physical and scoreless first half, the Matildas burst to life in the 52nd minute when Emily van Egmonds ball put Foord into space. She made a surging run towards goal before laying off for Sam Kerr to strike home at close range.
Two minutes later, Chloe Logarzos ball across the face of goal found an unmarked Foord at the right post and she made no mistake with the strike from an acute angle.
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Foord was close again in the 58th minute when Kerr found her free on the right, but her one-on-one shot was smothered by goalkeeper Christiane Endler.
Sam Kerr celebrates her opener for the Matildas in Newcastle on Tuesday night.Credit:AAP
Foord made it 3-0 in the 67th minute when she pounced on a poor touch from Endler to score.
It was 4-0 two minutes later when Emily Gielnik, who came on for Gema Simon in the 63rd, raced into the clear and finished well with her left foot.
The rout was complete in the 88th minute when Foord was again left open at the back post.
"It feels pretty awesome," Foord said of the hat-trick. "I have been lacking a bit of confidence in front of goals so it was great to put three away.
"It was a great performance by all the girls. We didn't play bad on Saturday night. we played well but didn't put our chances away. Tonight we were able to do that."
Caitlin Foord slots home Australia's second from an acute angle.Credit:AAP
Australia had the better chances in the first half. Matildas centre-back Alanna Kennedy hit the post with a header off a van Egmond free kick in the 42nd minute and Logarzo was over the crossbar with a free header from an Ellie Carpenter cross in the 20th.
Chile had excellent chances of their own. Karen Araya forced a tip over the bar from Mackenzie Arnold in the 18th minute and Daniela Zamora was denied by a one-on-one save from close range at the near post in the 32nd.
Van Egmond was captaining the Matildas on her home pitch and her Jets co-captain Simon started in one of three changes to the XI who lost to Chile on Saturday.
A strong Newcastle crowd cheers on Australia against Chile.Credit:AAP
