Qualifiers – Group C: Australia 6-1 Turkmenistan; Kuwait 1-4 Philippines – خبرگزاری ورزش ایران

Australia registered an emphatic 6-1 win over Turkmenistan, while newcomers Philippines impressed in a 4-1 victory over Kuwait.
Australia 6-1 Turkmenistan

Australia started with a spring in their step and quickly built up a two-goal lead to gain control of the match.

Turkmenistan goalkeeper Malika Eminova had done well to block Zoee Spadano’s initial shot but could do nothing to stop Nikkita Fazzari’s powerful effort in the second minute.

Australia doubled their advantage a minute later after good work from Alexia Karrys-Stahl on the right, her drilled shot into the centre was nodded in from close range by captain Trudy Camilleri.
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Turkmenistan steadied themselves and pulled a goal back in the sixth minute when Suray Mammetsahedova’s toe-poked effort nestled into the back of the net after Australian custodian Sarah Easthope had misjudged the flight of the ball.

However, with two minutes of the first half remaining, Australia regained their two-goal lead when Claudia Fruscalzo side-footed home from close range.
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Turkmenistan held firm as long as they could in the second half but Australia underlined their quality with further goals Marianna Tabain (32nd), Fazzari (33rd) and Camilleri (34th) to seal the empathic win.

Australia will meet Kuwait on Monday, while Turkmenistan will be aiming to bounce back when they meet the Philippines on Wednesday.
Kuwait 1-4 Philippines
Kuwait’s plan to sit back in the opening exchanges came back to haunt them as the Philippines’ early pressure saw them take the lead in the second minute after keeper Aishah Alsabri repelled Sara Isobel Castaneda’s shot off a corner, only for the ball to fall kindly for Katrina Guillou to strike home the opener.
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The Southeast Asian side almost doubled their advantage three minutes later when Isabella Flanigan caught Kuwait off guard with a surging run down the left before Alsabri at the arc.

Kuwait had their first attempt on target in the sixth minute, Shrouq Mohammad’s swivelling shot from distance forced Philippines keeper Samantha Hughes into a fine save while at the other end, Alsabri came to Kuwait’s rescue again when she denied Dionesa Tolentin following a counter-attacking move.
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The Philippines extended their lead two minutes into the restart after Flanigan pounced on Noor Alherz’s stray pass from inside her own half before embarking on a surging run and scoring with a deft lob over Alsabri.

Cracks began to appear in Kuwait’s armour as they fell further behind to a counter-attacking move with Sheen Nicole Borres collecting the loose ball before slipping a through pass to Dionesa Tolentin to rifle past Alsabri from just above the arc.
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Kuwait pulled one back in the 26th minute after a defensive mix-up saw Alherz threading a neat pass to Shrouq Mohammad to score past Hughes, but it was not enough to force a comeback as the Philippines struck back through Guillou to seal the emphatic win.