The Paramatildas have qualified for the final of the 2022 IFCPF Women’s World Cup, hitting double digits for the second time this tournament to beat Spain 11-0.
Kelly Stirton again went into the game unchanged, with Katelyn Smith, Georgia Beikoff, Lainee Harrison, Tahlia Blanshard, and Eloise Northam all keeping their spots.
Early goals have been a hallmark of the Paramatildas tournament, which they showed in microcosm when Beikoff struck inside 10 seconds to give Australia the advantage, the quickest goal so far in the tournament.
Lainee Harrison then scored Australia’s third and fourth goals of the game within a matter of minutes to send the green and gold 4-0 up after an Anna Cuesta Capdevila own goal doubled their lead initially before Eloise Northam added a fifth to put the result beyond all reasonable doubt.
Just as it looked as though the first-half scoring had concluded, Beikoff secured her hat-trick and notched up double figures in the tournament in the process with a quickfire double, with Australia’s main avenue to goal proving too much for the Spanish defence.
Beikoff then started the second half quicker than she had started the first, scoring directly from the restart to display her lethal qualities, before adding another two in four minutes as the green and gold made it ten.
Substitute Nicole Christodoulou completed the scoring with six minutes of regulation to play, with the full-time whistle securing Australia’s spot in the final in their first appearance at the tournament.
The Paramatildas will first complete their group stage matches when they face off against the USA tonight, kick-off at 8:45 AEST.
