Australia defeated New Zealand, 3-1, in the championship game of Oceania women’s qualifying Oct. 17 at Mt. Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand, to earn a berth at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Australia becomes the 13th team to qualify for USA ’99, joining the host USA, South American champion Brazil, CONCACAF champion Canada, Asian qualifiers China, Japan and North Korea, and European qualifiers Sweden, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Russia. Intense regional rivals, Australia and New Zealand have met in all three Oceania women’s championship games during Women’s World Cup qualifying. New Zealand won the Women’s World Cup berth in 1991, but Australia advanced to Sweden in 1995 and will come to the USA looking to advance past the opening round for the first time. Australia took a two-goal lead after just 13 minutes when Julie Murray, playing in her 50th international game, scored in the 2nd minute on a beautiful curling shot. Bridgett Starr added a goal 11 minutes later. While the Kiwis battled back, Australia put the game away in the 66th minute with a goal from 1995 Women’s World Cup veteran Lisa Casagrande, whose shot crashed off the underside of the crossbar and into the net. New Zealand pulled a goal back in the 77th minute through Nicky Smith, but it wasn’t enough to stop Australia from retaining confederation bragging rights. Australia finished last at the 1995 Women’s World Cup, but bolstered by the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, have dedicated increased resources to their women’s soccer program for its 1999 Women’s World Cup run. The Australian national team, nicknamed The Matildas, has been training together in a full-time residency camp in Canberra since July 1. In the third place match, Papua New Guinea defeated Fiji, 7-1.