Caitlin Foord Celebrates 150th Appearance as Matildas Triumph Over Mexico
The week began with frustration for Australia. It ended with a statement.
Beaten 1-0 by Mexico at home on Saturday, the Matildas looked short of sharpness and short of answers. Steph Catley called it what it was – disappointing – but she also framed it as the first step on a long road towards the World Cup. Four days later, that road already looked a little smoother.
Foord’s milestone night
On Tuesday, Australia flipped the script. A 3-1 win over Mexico, a performance loaded with intent, and a landmark evening for Caitlin Foord.
Handed the captain’s armband, Foord marked her 150th appearance with the kind of goal that sums up her game. She rolled her defender with raw strength, opened her body and guided the ball into the far corner for Australia’s third of the night. A captain’s finish, on a milestone night, in front of home fans who know exactly what she means to this team.
That strike lifted her to 41 international goals, making her the joint third-highest scorer in Matildas history. The numbers keep stacking up; the influence keeps growing.
Foord spoke afterwards about the shared sense of occasion with Catley, who again went the distance and anchored the back line across the full 90 minutes.
“To reach 100 is obviously huge, and for myself, 150 as well,” Foord said. “It’s nice to enjoy these moments together, and celebrate them, which we have during this series.”
The revenge over Mexico won’t erase Saturday’s defeat, but it underlined something more important: this is a side still building, still learning, and already capable of a strong response.
Lionesses win, but route to World Cup gets harder
While Australia were finding their edge again, England’s Lionesses were dealing with a more complicated reality.
At Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, Sarina Wiegman’s side did their job against Ukraine, winning 3-0 in FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying. Alessia Russo led the line for the full 90 minutes, Chloe Kelly entered the fray on 64 minutes, and Lotte Wubben-Moy watched on as an unused substitute.
Russo, busy and direct throughout, turned provider for England’s second goal, laying on the assist for Georgia Stanway. The performance brought the result they needed, and the crowd got what they came for: goals, control, and a clean sheet.
But the numbers in the table told a harsher story.
England finished second in Group C on 15 points, level with Spain and separated only on goal difference. Five wins from six games, Spain beaten along the way – and still no automatic qualification. The margins at this level are unforgiving.
“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 play-offs in October now loom large. One slip, and all that work against Spain and the rest of the group will count for nothing.
Spain, by contrast, removed all doubt. Mariona Caldentey played the first half of a ruthless 6-1 win away to Iceland on Tuesday, a result that blew open the goal difference and sealed their place at the World Cup with ease.
Sweden fight back, USA tested, Canada cruise
Elsewhere in Europe, Sweden were dragged into drama of their own. Hosting Italy, they fell 2-0 behind, only to claw their way back to a 2-2 draw. Smilla Holmberg and Stina Blackstenius both played the full match as Sweden showed character to salvage a point and finish third in Group A with eight points from six games. Not the campaign they wanted, but not one lacking in spirit.
Across the Atlantic, the USA’s schedule brought a double-header against Brazil. Emily Fox played 90 minutes in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat away to Brazil, then returned to start again on Wednesday, this time featuring for the first half of a 1-0 win. Two tight games, two very different outcomes, and more evidence of how fine the line is at the top of the women’s game.
Canada, by contrast, enjoyed a far more comfortable evening. Olivia Smith started and logged 63 minutes as they dismantled Costa Rica 6-0 away from home in a friendly on Wednesday, a scoreline that reflected total control and attacking freedom.
At under-23 level, Germany and Denmark served up a 2-2 draw in a friendly on Monday, with Anneke Borbe introduced at half-time. Another step in her development, another taste of international pressure.
From Foord’s landmark in Australia to England’s detour through the play-offs and Spain’s surge into the World Cup, this international window has already drawn some clear lines. Some teams are in. Some still have work to do. And for players like Foord, Russo and Blackstenius, the next few months will decide whether these milestones sit alongside something even bigger.
