Australia defeated China 2-1 in the 2026 Women’s AFC Asian Cup, with Sam Kerr scoring the opening goal to book their place in the final.
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Published March 17, 2026
Australia captain Sam Kerr scored a stunning second-half goal to secure a 2-1 victory over China and propel the hosts to their fourth Women’s Asian Cup final.
The Matildas will be aiming for their second trophy in the continental tournament, and first since 2010, when they face either Japan or South Korea in the second semi-final in Sydney on Wednesday.
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Kerr, who scored in front of his home fans for the third time in the tournament, sent the Perth Stadium crowd into a frenzy with a needlepoint strike from a sharp angle in the 58th minute.
Defending champions China tied the game with Zhang Linyan’s penalty in the 26th minute following Caitlin Ford’s early shot.
China set a record for wins in the tournament with nine titles, while Australia’s best result in recent years was as tournament runners-up in 2018.
Considering their performance in this tournament, all four semi-finalists have qualified for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
