Sam Kerr sends crowd wild as Matildas slay reigning Asian Cup champions to reach final

Sam Kerr produced a classy finish and gestured for the Perth crowd to cheer even louder as the Matildas ousted reigning champions China in the Asian Cup semi-finals on Tuesday night.

Now, after a 2-1 win in front of a 35,170-strong crowd at Optus Stadium, the Matildas await the Asian Cup final and a chance to end their 16-year major trophy drought.

South Korea and Japan will square off on Wednesday night for a spot in the final, to be played at Sydney's Accor Stadium on Saturday night.

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Caitlin Foord gave Australia a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute when she sent a Mary Fowler cut-back thundering into the back of the net, and although China were able to equalise through a penalty in the 26th minute, Kerr regained the lead for the Matildas in a slick second-half play.

The superstar striker swooped on the ball on the halfway line in the 58th minute and sent it wide to Foord on the left wing. Kerr then drifted forward, first cruising and then accelerating, as Foord sent a through ball that the Chelsea ace would put past the goalkeeper with guile.

Facing the crowd, Kerr pointed to her head and closed her eyes, a smile of delight spreading across her face.

The Matildas captain then embraced her teammates as they swarmed to celebrate with her, before turning to face the crowd again and raising her arms several times to really get the joint rocking.

"I can't really gather all my emotions and feelings right now, but it's right up there," Kerr said on Channel 10 when asked how the win ranked among the best of her career.

"I can't believe it, I honestly can't believe it. We came in as one of the favourites, but we have taken the long road here, and it just feels so good to be here now."

What was the thinking behind pointing to her head?

"I think just for me, like, keeping my head, people still believing in me — just all of that," Kerr explained.

"I know I can be one of the best players in the world and I think I'm showing that at this tournament."

Foord is relishing having Kerr back in the Matildas team after a two-year stretch marred by her ACL rupture and the ugly UK court saga.

"Me and Sam have played many, many years together," Foord said on Paramount+.

"She's been out a while as well with injury, so I've definitely missed her out on the pitch, so I think [I'm] just enjoying every moment of it. It [combining in attack] just comes very natural to us."

China were awarded a penalty kick after Zhang Linyan tripped on Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, who had rushed toward the Chinese attacker as she streamed into the 18-yard box.

Arnold tried unsuccessfully to smother the ball and hit the deck, and Linyan tripped over her.

The Matildas goalkeeper remonstrated with the referee but to no avail, before picking the wrong way when the penalty kick was taken.

Emily van Egmond played her 170th game for the Matildas to become the most capped Australian footballer ever, overtaking Clare Polkinghorne.