Australia reaches quarterfinals of 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Caitlin Foord (El Loko, Wikimedia Commons)

Australia is only three wins away from winning the 2023 Women’s Wold Cup. On Monday, Team Australia defeated Team Denmark 2-0 in the round of 16 from Stadium Australia in Sydney. In front of 75,784 fans, Australia got a first half goal from forward Caitlin Foord of Shellharbour, New South Wales in the 29th minute, and a second half goal from winger Hayley Raso of Gold Coast, Queensland in the 70th minute.

Australia simply made most of their opportunities. They only had three shots on target during the entire 90 minutes, and scored twice.

For Foord it was her 29th international goal for Australia, and second at the Women’s World Cup. Four years ago in Montpellier, France, Foord was one of two Australians to score for Australia in a dramatic 3-2 win over Brazil. Foord was joined by Chloe Logarzo of Sydney. Australia won this game on an own goal by the Brazilians. Foord also scored for Australia in a 2-2 tie against Germany in Group F action at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Raso has now scored three times at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. She scored twice on July 31 in a 4-0 win over Canada. With the win over Denmark, Australia won Group B. Raso now has 15 goals internationally for Australia.

Australia will now face the winner of France and Morocco in the quarterfinals. The other quarterfinals will have Spain versus the Netherlands, Japan versus Sweden, and England versus either Columbia or Jamaica. On Tuesday, France and Morocco will play in Adelaide, and Colombia and Jamaica will play in Melbourne to complete the round of 16 matches.