03/17/26 07:21:00
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03/17 07:19 CDT Sam Kerr lifts Australia past China 2-1 and into the Women's
Asian Cup final
Sam Kerr lifts Australia past China 2-1 and into the Women's Asian Cup final
PERTH, Australia (AP) --- Sam Kerr broke a second half deadlock and Australia
edged defending champion China 2-1 for a spot in the Women's Asian Cup final on
Tuesday.
The veteran Chelsea forward started the attacking movement on halfway and
finished it off with a left-foot shot from a tight angle in the 58th minute,
the decisive moment of a semifinal that was tied 1-1 at halftime.
The Australians will play the winner of Wednesday's semifinal between Japan and
South Korea. Australia last won the continental championship in 2010.
Caitlin Foord gave the host the lead in the 17th when she finished off an
attacking raid that started with Mary Fowler combining with Ellie Carpenter on
the right. Carpenter crossed back into the area, where Fowler cut the ball back
for Foord to fire.
China equalized in the 26th through Zhang Linyan from the penalty spot. Zhang
won the penalty after she swooped on a defensive blunder and was felled in the
area by goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold.
All of the semifinalists qualified automatically for the 2027 Women's World
Cup. The losing quarterfinalists go into playoffs for two more guaranteed
places in Brazil.
Iran's exit
The two Iran players who remained in Australia on protection visas following
their team's group-stage exit joined a practice session Monday with a
professional club in Brisbane in their first publicly shared appearance since
it emerged they were given asylum.
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were pictured smiling and wearing
the club's training uniform as they posed alongside a women's elite squad in
photos posted to social media by the Brisbane Roar.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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