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Australia and South Korea advance to quarter-finals at Women's Asian Cup

Australia's players celebrate a goal
Australia's players celebrate a goalIZHAR KHAN / AFP

Hosts Australia and 2022 finalists South Korea ⁠reached the Women's Asian Cup quarter-finals with comfortable wins against Iran and the Philippines on ‌Thursday, clinching their second straight victories in Group A.

Australia, ‌who beat the Philippines in their previous ‌game, enjoyed a 4-0 home win over Iran as ‌Alanna Kennedy scored twice.

Amy Sayer's spectacular left-footer from ‌outside the box curled in at the far post after eight minutes before Mary Fowler, on her ‌first Australia start since tearing her ⁠anterior cruciate ligament ‌in April, doubled the lead in the 27th.

Kennedy was set ​up by Sam Kerr for a close-range finish eight minutes later and the ​defender got her second before the hour mark, heading home from Emily van Egmond's corner.

The Iran players, ⁠who have expressed ​concern for their families amid the military conflict back home, had about 21% possession and no shots on target as they suffered their second ‌straight loss in the tournament.

Earlier on Thursday, Park Soo-jeong scored the pick of the goals as South Korea secured a 3-0 win over the Philippines at Gold Coast Stadium.

Jeon Yu-gyeong scored first after a neat turn and strike in the 12th minute and midfielder Park curled the ball into the top corner from the edge ‌of the box three minutes later. Playmaker Mun ​Eun-ju poked home the third early in ‌the second half.

The Philippines face Iran on Sunday, hoping to reach the quarter-finals as one of the top-two third-placed teams, when Australia meet South Korea in a battle to top ⁠the group.

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