Cortnee Vine at the double as Australia cruise to 4-1 victory over South Africa

Australia Women defeated South Africa 4-1 in a friendly at Kingsmeadow on Saturday, with Cortnee Vine, Caitlin Foord and Clare Polkinghorne all on target.

The Matildas took just five minutes to open the scoring, with Mary Fowler hitting the post and Vine scoring her first of the day on the rebound. Vine then doubled her tally for the afternoon midway through the first half with a clever finish from Foord's cross. Sydney FC forward Vine then spurned a glorious opportunity for her hat-trick when she fired wide with the goal at her mercy.

Australia didn't have to wait too long for a decisive third, though, with Polkinghorne thundering home a header from a corner to end the game as a contest a few minutes before the break.

It got worse for South Africa eight minutes after the restart when Arsenal's Foord picked out the far corner of the net with a fine finish.

Regirl Ngobeni endured a busy afternoon in the South Africa goal, doing well to deny Foord's flurry of chances before making a superb stop from Katrina Gorry.

South Africa grabbed a consolation three minutes from time when Hildah Magaia lobbed Teagan Micah.

The Matildas next face Denmark in Viborg on Tuesday evening in another friendly.