Burgess earns narrow win for Qantas Matildas

The Qantas Matildas secured a 1-0 win over a battling New Zealand this evening in their second and final training match in Canberra. Joanne Burgess scored the winner 11 minutes from full time.

The Qantas Matildas secured a 1-0 win over a battling New Zealand this evening in their second and final training match in Canberra.

The Australian side recorded a 6-0 win in Sunday-s first match but with a revamped starting line-up, and against a vigorous opponent, the match remained deadlocked until Joanne Burgess scored the only goal of the match 11 minutes from full time.

In extremely warm conditions a tight first half gave way to a second period which saw Australia create an increasing number of goalscoring opportunities.

Striker Sarah Walsh looked to have opened the scoring midway through the second half however her goalbound strike was cleared off the line. Walsh then turned provider for the game-s only goal playing the ball to Burgess who finished neatly from 15 metres.

The Qantas Matildas now head for Chinese Taipei departing on February 17 where they will meet the host nation on February 21 before further Group C matches against Myanmar and Uzbekistan in the first stage of Olympic qualifying. Should the team finish top two in the group they will then progress to the final stage of qualifying and another four team group where DPR Korea await as a seeded team. The final stage of qualifying will be held between April and August with only the top team to progress to the 2008 Olympic Games.

The Qantas Matildas have already qualified for the 2007 FIFA Women-s World Cup in China, September 10-30.

Match Details

AUSTRALIA 1 (Joanne Burgess 79-) NEW ZEALAND 0

Australian line-up: Lydia Williams (Melissa Barbieri h/t); Rhian Davis (Di Alagich h/t, Clare Polkinghorne 77-), Thea Slatyer (Kate McShea h/t), Cheryl Salisbury (c), Karla Reuter (Heather Garriock h/t), Lana Harch (Joanne Burgess 60-), Danielle Small (Collette McCallum 60-), Lauren Colthorpe (Kate Gill 78-), Joanne Peters (Ellen Beaumont 66-), Jenna Tristram (Sarah Walsh h/t), Caitlin Munoz (Sasha McDonnell 66-)

The Qantas Matildas squad in camp at the AIS, Feb 2-8 is:

Goalkeepers - Melissa Barbieri (Melbourne), Lisa Hartley (Wollongong), Lydia Williams (Canberra), Emma Wirkus (Adelaide)

Defenders - Di Alagich (Sydney), Ellen Beaumont (Brisbane), Louisa Bisbi (Melbourne), Kim Carroll (Brisbane), Rhian Davies (Sydney), Heather Garriock (Sydney), Kate McShea (Brisbane), Clare Polkinghorne (Brisbane), Karla Reuter (Newcastle), Cheryl Salisbury (Newcastle), Thea Slatyer (Sydney)

Midfielders - Joanne Burgess (Sydney), Lauren Colthorpe (Newcastle), Lana Harch (Brisbane), Collette McCallum (Perth), Amber Neilson (Newcastle), Joanne Peters (Newcastle), Danielle Small (Sydney)

Forwards - Kate Gill (Newcastle), Sasha McDonnell (Brisbane), Caitlin Munoz (Canberra), Jenna Tristram (Newcastle), Sarah Walsh (Sydney)

(* current home city)