Australia join Sweden, the US and Brazil in the quarter-finals of the women’s soccer World Cup after the Matildas sent former champions Norway home with a shock 2-1 win on Wednesday.
The Australians will now play Sweden in tomorrow’s quarter-final in Augsburg, Germany, after two goals from Kyah Simon saw her team come from behind in Leverkusen against Norway.
SIMON EQUALIZER
Elise Thorsnes had put Norway ahead with a 56th-minute goal, but a minute later Simon grabbed the equalizer before the 20-year-old Sydney FC forward sealed victory with a header three minutes from time.
“There was a lot of courage and commitment shown out there,” Australia coach Tom Sermanni said. “I was very deflated when they scored the first goal, but it was critical that we scored straight afterwards.”
Sweden later stunned two-time winners the US with a 2-1 victory in Wolfsburg, Germany.
Sweden’s victory gives them a 100 percent record from three games and leaves them as Group C winners, while the US go through as runners-up.
The Stars and Stripes now face Brazil in Dresden, Germany, in a mouth-watering tie on Sunday.
Sweden took the lead when midfielder Lisa Dahlkvist netted a penalty after 15 minutes and the Swedes extended their lead on 35 minutes, when captain Nilla Fischer fired in a free-kick, which deflected off a US player.
The Americans pulled a goal back when veteran forward Abby Wambach netted in the 67th minute for the 1991 and 1999 world champions, but it was not enough.
Brazil marched into the last eight as three second-half goals gave the South Americans a convincing 3-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in Frankfurt, Germany, that secured top spot in Group D for the 2007 runners-up.
Erika struck in the 49th minute and Cristiane doubled the advantage at the 54-minute mark before completing a brace with a penalty in injury time.
POINTLESS
Equatorial Guinea exit their first World Cup with zero points.
Both North Korea and Colombia were eliminated after they ground out a goalless draw in their final Group C game in Bochum, Germany.
In tomorrow’s quarter-finals, defending champions Germany will play Japan in Wolfsburg, while England take on France in Leverkusen.
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