Sam Kerr aiming for fifth World Cup appearance in 2027

[p]Joe Montemurro's side booked their spot at the tournament for a ninth consecutive time by edging [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/north-korea/fojQgvMl/"]North Korea[/a] 2-1 on Friday to make the semi-finals of the Women's Asian Cup in Perth.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/Q7Hu2UDD/"]Chelsea[/a] forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kerr-samantha/8YuNOAak/"]Kerr[/a], Australia's most prolific goal-scorer, captained the Matildas to the World Cup semi-finals in 2023 and aims to join an elite group by playing at her fifth in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/UZSq2YAO/"]Brazil[/a].[/p][p]"[b]For us as a footballing team, it's the pinnacle,[/b]" said 32-year-old Kerr, who scored the winner against North Korea.[/p][p]"So to put our team there is an amazing feeling.[/p][p]"[b]Brazil is a footballing nation. What an amazing World Cup to go to. It will be incredible. I hope I'm there. Just the fact that we all get the opportunity to be on the biggest stage is incredible[/b]."[/p][embed guid="4e1e179c-382b-4703-b353-d49f78ff973d" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj4E47PGJz8" social-type="youtube" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/8CKOoQdn/"]Arsenal[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/foord-caitlin/SMMIEghM/"]Caitlin Foord[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/leicester/dWUIlGLF/"]Leicester City[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-egmond-emily/QBHh8iVk/"]Emily van Egmond[/a], both regular first-team starters, are also targeting a fifth World Cup.[/p][p]The top six finishers at the continental competition in Australia qualify for Brazil.[/p][p]Montemurro praised his side for soaking up intense pressure from a high-tempo North Korea and taking their chances when they presented themselves.[/p][p]"[b]They're the best team in the tournament. They really are. They're a great side,[/b]" he said of the ninth-ranked North Koreans.[/p][p]"They have their reasons for the way they play. It's very difficult and it's very unpredictable.[/p][p]"[b]We didn't create much. We had to resist a lot. But it's the way you beat these teams. You have to manage the game in a certain way, and fortunately enough for us, we did it.[/b]"[/p][p]Australia's reward is a last four clash in Perth with either defending champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/china/IFHViN7N/"]China[/a] or Taiwan.[/p]