Australia tops Group B in Women's Asian Cup

Sam Kerr dealing the Thai defense. c/o Asian Football Confederation.

Australia officially finishes on top of Group B in the Women's Asian Cup, emerging as 2-1 winners over Thailand in Mumbai on Thursday.

With an automatic berth in the Women's World Cup in their back pocket and a spot in the quarterfinals already assured coming into the match, Tony Gustavsson opted to switch things up and opted to rest their regulars, including Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, and Caitlin Foord.

The Matildas continued to impose their style on play, but were kept at by the Thais, at least for the first thirty minutes.

The Aussies finally broke through after 39 minutes, as Remy Siemsen passed it to Emily van Egmond, who then found the bottom corner past Thai keeper Tiffany Sornpao.

Kyra Cooney-Cross almost doubled the lead three minutes later, with Pikul Kheuanpet preventing it to cross the line.

The second half saw Thailand's best scoring opportunity go to waste, as Suchawadee Nildhamrong unable to take advantage of her interception of Cortnee Vine's throw-in. As for the Matildas, they lost Holly McNamara to a knee injury, whilst Siemsen's shot was denied by Sornpao.

Gustavsson inserted Mary Fowler and Kyah Simon to add some oomph to their attack, but both misfired on their chances.

Australia found their second in the 80th minute, as Sornpao spills Simon's cross, with the ball headed towards Kerr scoring from point-blank range for her seventh goal of the tournament.

Thailand would pull one back in stoppage time, as Nipawan Panyosuk lobbed one beyond Lydia Williams.

Having won all of its Group Stage matches, Australia now face Korea in the quarterfinals, whilst Thailand ends up as one of the two third-place teams through to the next round, setting up a matchup against defending champions Japan.