Friday, 23 February 2007
Collette McCallum The Qantas Matildas have progressed to the second stage of qualification for the 2008 Beijing Olympics with a 10-0 demolition of Uzbekistan in Chinese Taipei tonight.
The Qantas Matildas raced to a five goal lead after just 25 minutes before adding a further five goals in the second half in a match played in cool conditions in the Chungshan Stadium.
The goals were shared amongst nine different goalscorers with substitute Collette McCallum leading the way with a double including a goal with her first touch ten seconds after entering the fray on the hour mark.
There were also goals for Kate Gill, Thea Slatyer, Lauren Colthorpe, Danielle Small, Sarah Walsh, Heather Garriock, Rhian Davies and Lana Harch. Both McCallum and Colthorpe securing maiden goals for the Qantas Matildas in the process.
Joanne Peters skippered the team in the absence of rested captain Cheryl Salisbury, while Garriock wore the captain’s armband for the first time in the latter stages of the match after Peters was substituted.
They opened the scoring after just two minutes, when Gill headed home a Sarah Walsh cross.
Slatyer headed home a second in the 14th minute and four minutes the scoring continued with Colthorpe tapping in from close range.
Small made it 4-0 after 25 minutes and that was quickly followed by a goal to Walsh, which finished off the scoring in the first half.
The scoring continued after the break, with Garriock capitalizing on a Rhian Davies cross, while Davies scored one of her own with a low shot. Two minutes later, McCallum, 10 seconds after just coming on as a substitute, scored with an angled shot from a short corner.
Australia then took their foot of the gas, but still added two more goals from Harch with a shot from 15 metres, while McCallum added a second goal for herself with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.
Australia will now complete their round one fixtures on Sunday against host-nation Chinese Taipei.
The match set to be significant for midfielder Peters who is set to make her 100th appearance for the Qantas Matildas. The Novocastrian would become the third Australian to achieve the feat behind Salisbury and Anissa Tann.
Alex Tobin is the most capped player for the Qantas Socceroo with 87 appearances.
Asia’s top team DPR Korea will await Australia as a seeded in the final four-team group which commences in April with only the top team to progress to the 2008 Olympic Games.
The Qantas Matildas have already qualified for the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup also to be held in China, September 10-30.
Match Details
AUSTRALIA 10 (Kate Gill 2’, Thea Slatyer 14’, Lauren Colthorpe 18’, Danielle Small 25’, Sarah Walsh 27’, Heather Garriock 52’, Rhian Davies 57’, Collette McCallum 59’, 83’, Lana Harch 75’)
UZBEKISTAN 0
Australian line-up: Emma Wirkus (gk); Rhian Davies, Thea Slatyer, Karla Reuter, Heather Garriock, Lana Harch, Lauren Colthorpe, Danielle Small, Joanne Peters (c) (Collette McCallum 59’), Kate Gill (Clare Polkinghorne h/t), Sarah Walsh (Sasha McDonnell h/t)
The Qantas Matildas squad for Stage 1 of the AFC Olympic Qualifying tournament in Chinese Taipei, February 21-25 is:
Goalkeepers – Melissa Barbieri (Melbourne), Emma Wirkus (Adelaide)
Defenders – Di Alagich (Sydney), Rhian Davies (Sydney), Heather Garriock (Sydney), Kate McShea (Brisbane), Clare Polkinghorne (Brisbane), Karla Reuter (Newcastle), Cheryl Salisbury (Newcastle), Thea Slatyer (Sydney)
Midfielders – Joanne Burgess (Sydney), Lauren Colthorpe (Newcastle), Lana Harch (Brisbane), Collette McCallum (Perth), Joanne Peters (Newcastle), Danielle Small (Sydney)
Forwards – Kate Gill (Newcastle), Sasha McDonnell (Brisbane), Caitlin Munoz (Canberra), Sarah Walsh (Sydney)
(* current home city)
Wednesday 21 February
4pm (7pm AEST) Australia v Myanmar
6pm Chinese Taipei v Uzbekistan
Friday 23 February
4pm (7pm AEST) Uzbekistan v Australia
6pm Myanmar v Chinese Taipei
Sunday 25 February
2pm Uzbekistan v Myanmar
4pm (7pm AEST) Chinese Taipei v Australia
Venue
Chungshan Stadium, Kaohslung, Chinese Taipei
http://www.footballaustralia.com.au
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Well done ladies! And a HUGE well done to EM for gaining a start and clean sheet! Keep it up!
