The Westfield Matildas tonight qualified for the 2010 Peace Queen Cup Final following a dominant but low scoring encounter against Chinese Taipei.
A single goal to striker Katie Gill was all that separated the teams on paper but was far from a true reflection of the match played.
The Westfield Matildas were dominant throughout controlling the majority of position while nullifying any threat from the Chinese Taipei side.
Pressing right from the start the Westfield Matildas made space for themselves and in the 12th minute released Elise Kellond-Knight down the right, with the speedy 19-year-old beating two Chinese Taipei defenders before putting in a dangerous ball.
With the Chinese Taipei side only managing to clear the ball for a corner Tameka Butt stepped up to whip in the subsequent set piece finding Gill on the penalty spot whose header left goalkeeper Feng Huang with no chance as the ball flew into the top right corner.
In the 22nd minute another Tameka Butt corner was hastily cleared by a Chinese Taipei defender with Butt taking the second chance to float the ball back in but Servet Uzunlar ‘s resulting shot could not be controlled on target.
The Westfield Matildas continued their passing game to great effect and just before halftime 16-year-old Teigen Allen's cross-come-shot from the left was flicked onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Huang, with the Chinese Taipei keeper doing brilliantly to save Kyah Simon's follow-up volley.
In the second half stand-in captain Collette McCallum's free-kick prowess was on show again as her whipped in ball from the left found Gill at the near post but her flicked header could only find the top of the cross bar before heading out for a goal kick.
Kyah Simon increased the pressure on the Chinese Taipei side late in the second half with a series of dribbling runs.
In the 75th minute one break down the right saw Simon get in behind the defense with her cutback finding substitute Caitlin Munoz but her shot flew over bar.
Simon continued the pressure with a mazy run through the Taipei midfield, with her through ball again finding Munoz who, after beating the offside trap, could not steer her attempt, in front of an on-rushing Huang, on target.
Westfield Matildas Head Coach Tom Sermanni was philosophical about the result but pleased to be comfortably through to the final to play the winner from the New Zealand v England Group A match.
"It was a game we should have won more convincingly, we completely outplayed them but just didn't have the finishing touch," said Sermanni.
"We created a lot of chances in the second half but just couldn't convert them, it's one of those matches we should have won by four or five goals – we just need to be a little more decisive, a little more ruthless.
"I think the England verse New Zealand match will be very competitive, they've both just finished their World Cup qualifiers and have looked sharp so far in this tournament – it should be a quality final."
To watch all the action from the Westfield Matildas opening two matches tune into ABC1 on Saturday, 23 October at 3.00pm AEDT, for a two hour highlights package from the 2010 Peace Queen Cup.
The Westfield Matildas will play the 2010 Peace Queen Cup Final against either New Zealand or England on Saturday, 23 October 2010.