The Qantas Matildas opened their World Cup campaign with a feast of goals, easily accounting for Samoa with a final scoreline of 19-0 tonight in Canberra on day one of the OFC Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament.
Heading the scorers list were Joanne Peters, Kelly Golebiowski, and April Mann, racking up four goals each in the match, whilst Danielle Small bagged a hattrick. Scoring their first ever international goals were Small, Rhian Davies, and Thea Slatyer.
The result was just two goals short of the Qantas Matildas' record score of 21-0, achieved in the 1998 Oceania World Cup Qualifiers against American Samoa.
Australia was ruthless in its goalscoring rate, particularly early in the second half when they scored eight goals in the space of fifteen minutes. Developing nation Samoa saw little of the ball and rarely got within sight of goal.
Peters opened the Australian account after just four minutes with a cracking strike from 30 metres. Golebiowski scored next on the quarter-hour mark, racing in at the far post to head in a superb cross from the left by Sacha Wainwright, who continually carved her way up the left flank. Davies found the spot three minutes later, driving home an uncleared corner for a 3-0 lead.
Peters added her second in the 35th minute with Wainwright again the provider, before Small's shot found its way under the keeper and into goal with four minutes remaining for the half. The lively Golebiowski was successful again from close range less than a minute later to take the half-time scoreline to 6-0.
Golebiowski racked up her first international hattrick forty seconds into the second half, dancing her way through the opposition. Peters followed suit with her trio four minutes later with a drive, before April Mann opened her tally within another two minutes with a screamer. Four goals in three minutes followed, Wainwright grabbing a goal for herself from the edge of the box, then Slatyer claimed her maiden goal converting a Golebiowski freekick. Small then produced a chip from the 18-yard line, before Mann next converted a freekick from the left for a scoreline of 13-0.
Golebiowski scored her fourth in clinical fashion, and substitute Heather Garriock put her name on the sheet after ten minutes on the field. Small scored after winning a loose ball and running at goal, and Peters produced her fourth from a cross from the right. April Mann surged in with two goals in the final five minutes, notching up her first hattrick in the process. Australia was denied a twentieth goal, Gill Foster's 90th minute penalty disallowed by the referee.
Samoa had their best chance of scoring their first ever international goal late in the match, but the freekick was cleared by the Australian defence.
National Coach Adrian Santrac was not getting carried away with the win, mindful that the challenge will be much harder come next weekend. "Of the job we've got to do, this is only part one," he said. "Most of tonight's performance was very good, but it's very difficult in this environment to maintain concentration throughout."
Australia next play debutantes Cook Islands on Monday afternoon.