Caitlin Foord Reaches 150 Caps with Decisive Goal for Australia

Caitlin Foord hit 150 caps in green and gold with the sort of goal that sums up her entire international career: powerful, composed, decisive.

Four days after a flat 1-0 home defeat to Mexico, the Matildas bit back with a 3-1 win on Tuesday, and it was Foord – wearing the captain’s armband – who put the seal on it. She rolled her marker, held her ground, and passed the ball into the far corner for Australia’s third of the night, a finish born of strength and experience.

That strike took her to 41 goals for her country, lifting her into a share of third on Australia’s all-time scoring list. On an evening built around response and resilience, it felt fitting that one of the Matildas’ standard-bearers supplied the moment to savour.

Steph Catley, who had cut a frustrated figure after Saturday’s defeat, played the full 90 minutes again in the return fixture. After that first game, she had spoken about the bigger picture – about being “at the very start of a journey towards the World Cup.” The reaction her side produced in the second meeting with Mexico gave those words some weight.

Foord, standing alongside her long-time teammate in the mixed zone, reflected on a shared milestone as much as her own. “To reach 100 is obviously huge, and for myself, 150 as well,” she said. “It’s nice to enjoy these moments together, and celebrate them, which we have during this series.” The numbers tell one story. The way Australia answered back told another.

Lionesses win, but route to World Cup goes through play-offs

Across the world in qualifying, England got the job done on the night but not in the group.

At Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, the Lionesses eased to a 3-0 victory over Ukraine, a performance that restored some rhythm and confidence. Alessia Russo led the line for the full 90 minutes, Chloe Kelly came off the bench on 64 minutes, and Lotte Wubben-Moy watched on as an unused substitute.

Russo’s impact went beyond her work rate. She laid on England’s second goal, supplying the assist for Georgia Stanway to strike. It was the kind of centre-forward play Sarina Wiegman demands: link, occupy, create.

The scoreline, though, couldn’t repair the mathematics. England finished second in Group C on 15 points, level with Spain but edged out on goal difference. Five wins from six, and still no automatic ticket.

“It’s nice to come back to England, play in front of all of our fans and get a win,” Russo said. “We also wanted to qualify automatically for the World Cup but now we’re going to the play-offs and that’s tough but it’s football. We had the toughest group playing Spain and we won five out of six games and have still not gone through.”

The job now stretches into October, when England will have to navigate the tension of the play-offs to book their place at the finals.

Spain stroll, Sweden scrap

Spain, by contrast, removed all doubt with a statement win. Mariona Caldentey played the first half of a ruthless 6-1 victory away to Iceland, a result that swelled their goal difference and locked in qualification with authority. No late drama. No calculators required.

Sweden’s path proved more tangled. At home to Italy, they found themselves 2-0 down and staring at a damaging defeat. The response was fierce. A spirited fightback salvaged a 2-2 draw, with Smilla Holmberg and Stina Blackstenius both playing the full 90 minutes.

The point was not enough to avoid the long way round. Sweden finished third in Group A with eight points from six games and will, like England, have to go through the play-offs. Their comeback showed character. The table showed the cost of earlier slips.

North American tests and a German prospect

On the other side of the Atlantic, the United States and Canada continued to tune up in friendlies.

Emily Fox went the distance in USA’s 2-1 defeat away to Brazil on Saturday, then returned to start again on Wednesday, playing the first half of a 1-0 win against the same opponents. Two tight games, two different outcomes, and more minutes in the bank for a defender increasingly central to American plans.

Canada enjoyed a far more comfortable evening. Olivia Smith clocked 63 minutes as they dismantled Costa Rica 6-0 away from home on Wednesday, a thumping win that underlined their depth and attacking options.

Lower down the age ladder, Germany’s next generation also saw action. Goalkeeper Anneke Borbe came on at half-time in the under-23s’ 2-2 friendly draw at home to Denmark on Monday, another small but important step in her development.

From Foord’s landmark in Australia to England’s looming play-offs and Spain’s ruthless march, the international window delivered a clear message: the road to the World Cup is already demanding. For some, it’s almost complete. For others, the real tests are only just beginning.