5TH AUSTRALIA CUP
AUSTRALIA ~ MEXICO ~ SOUTH KOREA ~ SWEDEN
26 January - 1 February 2003
Canberra

Sweden are the champions of the 5^th Australia Cup four-nation tournament after their 3-1 victory tonight over the Qantas Matildas in Canberra sent them to the top of the points ladder ahead of the home side.

Sweden, rated number five in the world, showed just why they are one of the game's all-time great teams with a polished display to dominate throughout the second half.

The Qantas Matildas, setback by numerous injury concerns since the team assembled in camp over a fortnight ago, were unable to match the class and experience of the Swedish outfit.

Both sides were fired up from the start, but it soon became clear that Sweden were creating the greater danger on goal led by veteran attacking dynamo Hanna Ljungberg.

However it was the Qantas Matildas who claimed the lead seven minutes before half-time. Kelly Golebiowski, celebrating her 50^th cap for Australia, scored her third goal of the tournament with another pearler. Making a run up the centre of the pitch, Golebiowski received the ball from the right, controlled the ball and shook off her opponent before unleashing a cracker from 25 metres into the top of the net.

But Sweden cut short the celebrations, scoring the equaliser just two minutes later. Although surrounded by two opponents, striker Salina Olsson managed to get her shot away, neatly placing the ball home, to send the game into the break locked up at 1-1.

Australian captain Cheryl Salisbury did not make it back onto the pitch for the second half, suffering a leg muscle strain shortly before the break, and her commanding leadership and ability in the heart of the defence was to be sorely missed. The backline was already without Sacha Wainwright, ruled out this morning through injury.

The Swedes then snatched the lead four minutes after the restart. Defender Jane Tornqvist, unmarked out on the right, had the time to fire from long range, the attempt flying over the goalkeeper and into the top left corner of goal.

The visitors controlled proceedings from then on for the remainder of the clash, leaving a frustrated Australia with little time in possession of the ball. Olsson and teammate Therese Sjogran had the best of Sweden's chances to increase their lead, but without success. In the 74^th minute, goal number three finally came, sealing a deserved victory for the Scandinavians. Kristin Bengtsson's corner kick from the right was misjudged by Australian Claire Nichols, the goalkeeper helping to direct it into her own net.

National/AIS Coach Adrian Santrac was pleased for the chance to play a team of Sweden's calibre, using them as a measure of Australia's current progress. "Sweden are right up there with the big four of women's soccer US, Norway, China, and Germany - there's very little between them," he said. "This has been a great opportunity for us, an opportunity to see where we are and where we want to be."

Santrac added, "We’ve had a number of injury concerns and we've done the best we can. We had to throw several players in at the deep end but that's also given these players the opportunity of this experience."

Australia : Nichols (Kell 77), Salisbury [c] (Grant 46), Swaffer, Slatyer, Garriock, Peters, Hohnke (Crawford 85), Karp (Duus 65), Davies, Golebiowski, Mann (Small 68).

Sweden : Lundgren, Westberg, Tornqvist, Bengtsson, Andersson (Fagerstrom 60), Ljungberg (Svensson 71), Eriksson, Sjogran (Nordin 90+), Sjostrom, Call, Olsson (Bjorn 81).

Cautions - Swaffer (AUS) 45, Sjogran (SWE) 55, Slatyer (AUS) 89.
Referee - Tammy Ogston.

In the earlier game, Mexico came away with a 2-0 victory over South Korea in a significant encounter between two countries who may well face each other in May in the battle for the last berth to this year's World Cup in China.

Both sides started in attacking fashion, but it was Mexico who claimed the lead after just nine minutes. Korea's goalkeeper was unable to hold on to a Mexican corner kick, the ball spilling to Elizabeth Gomez who smashed it home. Mexico doubled the lead in the 29^th minute, the keeper getting a hand to Maribel Dominguez's header but unable to stop its path into goal.

South Korea created chances throughout the game and looked especially dangerous after going two goals behind. Despite controlling play for lengthy periods, their finishing ability continued to fail them, and they ended up finishing the tournament goalless.

Mexico made a late surge in search of a third goal but without success, whilst Korea was forced to play the final two minutes a player short after the dismissal of forward Lee Ji Eun.

South Korea : Jung Jung Ho, Park Kyung Sook (Lee Shin Jeong 54), Jin Suk Hee (Kim Eun Sook 67), Cha Sung Mi (Han Song I 75), Hwang In Sun, Song Ju Hee (Lee Chan Ho 59), Lee Ji Eun, Jung Jung Suk (Han Sun Ae 53), Han Jin Sook (Lee Myung Hwa 46), Kim Yoo Mi (Kim Sang Hee 68), Yoo Young Sil.

Mexico : Gomez, Mora, Gonzalez, Castillo, Vergara (Siordia 61), Valderrama, Leyva, Dominguez, Perez, Tajonar, Maravillas (Antunez 79).

Cautions - Cha Sung Mi (KOR) 38, Yoo Young Sil (KOR) 84, Lee Myung Hwa (KOR) 90+, Lee Ji Eun (KOR) 90+.
Expulsions - Lee Ji Eun (KOR) 90+.
Referee - Krystyna Szokolai.