It was a game that needed someone to take charge - and Caitlin Foord did just that.
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The Matildas held a one-goal lead against Chile after 70 minutes when Shellharbour product Foord found space, kicked a beautifully weighted pass to Sam Kerr who found the back of the net.
The goal capped off a 2-1 win for the Matildas in front of more than 20,000 fans at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Kerr finished the game with a double.
A high-scoring game had appeared on the cards when Kerr found the back of the net in just the third minute. The ball fell at the Matildas captain's feet and she made no mistake from short range.
However, it was a far from perfect performance by the Matildas. The home side missed countless scoring chances despite dominating field territory and ball possession throughout the game.
The second half assist to Kerr capped a busy game for Foord. The 24-year-old looked dangerous in attack and was also solid in defence.
Chile gave the Matildas a late scare when they hit the scoreboard in the 89th minute, with Camila Saez's header from a corner finding the back of the net.
However, Australia was able to hold on for victory. The two teams will meet again in Adelaide on Tuesday night.
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