Five goals to Nicole Christodoulou, and a hattrick to debutante Tamsin Colley, helped the CommBank ParaMatildas to a 10-0 victory over Nepal on matchday two of the IFCPF Asia Oceania Championships.
There were 14 total goals scored, but IFCPF regulations mean that the official result is recorded as 10-0.
The match was Nepal’s first in CP Football competitions. However, due to Nepal being unable to field a team that met IFCPF competitive requirements, it did not count towards official tournament results.
Footballers who compete in IFCPF competitions are classified based on how their performance is impacted by their disability. In Nepal’s case, they were fielding players who were not eligible due to classification, which is why the game did not have championship or ranking points attached.
Coach Kelly Stirton named a rotated starting five, giving starts to Carly Salmon in goals, Karina Grigorian and Tamsin Colley, who was making her debut for Australia.
The CommBank ParaMatildas scored within a minute for the second time in two days. This time it was Nicole Christodoulou who found the back of the net, scoring after her high press induced a turnover.
Two minutes later she was on the scoresheet again, scoring after good work from Karina Grigorian to square her the ball.
Tamsin Colley got in on the action on her debut, scoring the team’s third in the 11th minute.
Eloise Northam made it four three minutes later, a powerful left footed strike nestling in the back of the net. Colley scored her second not long after.
Not to be kept out of the scoring action for too long, Christodoulou made it a hattrick with a lofted shot from outside the penalty area in the 20th minute.
Eloise Northam pounced on a rebound of a Colley shot in the 23rd minute, scoring her second on that wand of a left foot. It would be her last action of the game as Rae Anderson came on the pitch to replace her.
Karina Grigorian capped off the scoring in the first half, slotting it in the back of the net after a run from the righthand side.
That meant that the CommBank ParaMatildas led 8-0 at half-time, but they did not stop the scoring in the second half.
Christodoulou made it five goals for her with two long-range strikes.
Katelyn Smith entered the field of play as an outfielder and made it count. She scored two goals, one in the 45th minute and one in the 49th. Her second goal was superbly taken, a long-range effort from outside the penalty area.
Tamsin Colley scored her hat trick in the 48th minute, making it an incredibly memorable debut.
As the game wore on, goalkeeper Carly Salmon made more adventurous runs forward and was rewarded with the last kick of the game, scoring the final goal.
The team will now have a rest day before playing Japan on Tuesday.
Match Details
Nepal: 0
Australia: 14 (Christodoulou 1', 3', 20' 33', 39', Tamsin Colley 12', 17', 48', Eloise Northam 14', 23', Karina Grigorian 25', Katelyn Smith 45', 49', Carly Salmon 50')
Australia: 1. Carly Salmon (c), 2. Nicole Christodoulou, 4. Karina Grigorian, 5. Tamsin Colley 7. Eloise Northam (9. Rae Anderson 23'; 6. Katelyn Smith 33')
Substitutes not used: 3. Tahlia Blanshard, 8. Annmarie de Uriarte, 10. Georgia Beikoff
Nepal: 1. Nirmaya Magar, 5. Binu Thapa, 9. Ranjana Dhami, 10. Rewati Karki, NA Jasmine Hose
