Kerr makes comeback as co-hosts Australia cruise into quarter-finals

Sam Kerr came off the bench as Australia surged into the Women's World Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Denmark in front of nearly 76,000 fans in Sydney on Monday.

The co-hosts will play France or Morocco on Saturday in Brisbane in the last eight after making easy work of a shot-shy Denmark.

To crown a positive evening for the Matildas, key striker and inspirational captain Kerr came on with 10 minutes left to huge cheers for her first action of the tournament after a calf injury.

The dangerous Caitlin Foord terrorised Denmark throughout and scored an excellent first after being set up by Mary Fowler on 29 minutes.

Real Madrid forward Hayley Raso grabbed a second to make the game safe 20 minutes from time.

Denmark were contesting their first knockout game at the World Cup since 1995 and they had the first sniff of goal, but Rikke Madsen failed to connect with the ball while sliding in at goal.

Australia were on the back foot early on but took the lead against the run of play when Fowler threaded a superb long pass down the left to play in Foord.

The Arsenal forward still had plenty to do and she did it brilliantly, taking one touch with her right foot to guide the ball into her path and then firing with the left through the legs of goalkeeper Lene Christensen.

Foord was all over the Denmark defence with her pace and movement down the left. Minutes later she rampaged down the wing again, chopped back inside and let fly with her right foot, the ball taking a big deflection and whistling just beyond the top corner.

Into the second half and Foord seemed to be everywhere, sliding in to stop a Denmark counter-attack and earning vigorous applause from Australia coach Tony Gustavsson.

Just past the hour and Denmark coach