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.