SYDNEY, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australia thrashed the Philippines 8-0 in Perth, Australia on Sunday to top Group A in the women's Olympic football qualifying campaign.
After a thumping 4-1 win over Chinese Taipei on Thursday, the 44th-ranked Philippines took on a fully armed Australia with World Cup goalscorers Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord featuring in the starting line-up and each bagging a hat-trick.
Mary Fowler opened the scoring for Australia in the 15th minute before Kerr doubled the advantage four minutes later with a clinical finish from Foord's cutback, sending a record-breaking 59,155 spectators into rapture.
Following that, Foord delivered a brace within four minutes and Kerr found the back of the net in the added time as Australia ended the first half up 5-0.
The Matildas scored again just 24 seconds into the second half, when Kerr headed her hat-trick home from Fowler's precise cross. Ten minutes later, Foord also nailed her third goal after evading her opponents near the byline and blasting the ball into the far corner from a very tight angle.
25-year-old midfielder and substitute Clare Wheeler put the cherry on the cake by registering her first-ever international goal in the 72nd minute to cap off Australia's scoring feast.
Australia now sit top of Group A with six points, followed by the Philippines with three points.
Later in the day, Iran and Chinese Taipei played out a goalless draw.
Iran, currently placed 63rd in the FIFA world rankings, once again displayed their stubborn defense against higher-ranked opponents, with goalkeeper Zahra Khajavi saving multiple headers and close-range shots to keep her team in the game.
For their final second-round matches, Australia will face Chinese Taipei on November 1, with the Philippines to square off against Iran. ■
