Australia vs Equatorial Guinea

The deserved victory lifted Australia to three points from two games, alongside Brazil and Norway, who were scheduled to play early Monday morning (AEST).

Watch highlights of the Australia v Equatorial Guinea World Cup match.

The Matildas play Norway in their final group game on Thursday morning (AEST).

Two goals in three minutes early in the second half from teenager Emily Van Egmond and substitute Lisa De Vanna ensured Australia's domination of possession and glut of chances were reflected on the scoreboard.

However, Equatorial Guinea's skipper and star player Anonman scored twice, each time after robbing Australian central defender Servet Unzular of possession.

Acting captain and chief playmaker Collette McCallum and Van Egmond excelled in midfield and Leena Khamis added zip up front to an Australian team featuring five changes to the side that started the opening game against Brazil.

Goalkeeper Lydia Williams replaced captain Melissa Barbieri while Khamis and Samantha Kerr replaced De Vanna and Kyah Simon up front and Tameka Butt and Caitlin Foord gave way to Sally Shipard and Lauren Colthorpe.

The Matildas made the perfect start, with Khamis scoring from close range in the eighth minute after veteran midfielder Heather Garriock had a shot parried by the goalkeeper.

Australia had a cast iron penalty claim inexplicably denied by the Hungarian referee after Equatorial Guinea defender Bruna blatantly grabbed a ball coming off her post in the first half.

Equatorial Guinea were content to sit deep and concede territory and rely on the attacking skills of their talisman Anonman.

She shot wide twice before equalising in the 21st minute, after she stripped Unzular and rounded keeper Williams.

Australia dominated possession and created several more first-half chances, with McCallum hitting the bar with a free-kick.

Khamis produced a great run and cross down the left in the 48th minute to set up 17-year-old Van Egmond, who rifled home an unstoppable shot.

De Vanna, who went on at halftime for injured Shipard, put Australia further ahead when she chested down a wonderful through ball from McCallum and slipped the ball past the goalkeeper.

Anonman set up a nervous finish for the Matildas with her second goal, but the Australians hung on to record a vital victory.

Matildas coach Tom Sermanni was happy with the result but not all aspects of his team's performance.

"There was some very very poor passages of play that we need to tighten up on, if we want to go further in this tournament," Sermanni said post match.

"For 90 per cent of the second half in particular I thought we played very very well but there are some aspects of the game that we need to sort out before Norway."

He was diplomatic and philosophical about the refereeing.

"I'll take the referee out of the game, it's not just about he referees, we've got to look at how we perform and how we play."

Sermanni said his team now knew a win over Norway would most likely see it through to the next round, a sentiment shared by Khamis.

"Our destiny is in our hands now, it comes down to the last game and we're really pumped for that game now," Khamis said.

Matildas line-up: 18. Lydia Williams; 3. Kim CARROLL, 7. Heather GARRIOCK, 8. Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT, 10. Servet UZUNLAR, 12. Emily VAN EGMOND, 14. Collette McCALLUM (c) (4. Clare Polkinghorne 78'), 15. Sally SHIPARD (11. Lisa De Vanna 46'), 16. Lauren COLTHORPE, 19. Leena KHAMIS, 20. Samantha KERR (2. Teigan Allen 69').