SYDNEY, Australia — Forward Caitlin Munoz's goal in the 40th minute proved to be the winner Friday as Australia beat Canada 2-1 in a women's international soccer friendly.

Australia, preparing for the Women's Asian Cup starting next week in Vietnam, took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute on midfielder Amy Chapman's goal. Striker Kara Lang scored for Canada in the 56th minute.

The two teams played a memorable match at last year's World Cup when Australia scored in injury time to edge Canada for a berth in the quarterfinals.

"We played ever so well in the first half and then Canada's kind of power game kicked in a bit in the second half and knocked us out of our rhythm a little bit," Australia coach Tom Sermanni said.

Chapman scored the opening goal when she fired home from a sharp angle after Munoz had forced a good save from Canada goalkeeper Erin McLeod.

Munoz then missed a chance to increase the advantage in the 23rd minute when she flashed a header wide on a header from defender Ellyse Perry, who also plays for Australia's national cricket team.

But Munoz made no mistake from an almost identical move, also on a cross from Perry, in the 40th minute, to put Australia up 2-0. Lang got the Canadians back in the game in the 56th minute and they applied pressure for the remainder but could not score the equalizer.

After failing to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, Sermanni said his side was determined to prove a point in Vietnam.

"This is our major tournament of the year so we want to do well, mainly to I suppose show ourselves and other people that we felt we deserved to be at the Olympics," Sermanni said.

Australia reached the final of the last Women's Asian Cup, losing to China on a penalty shootout.

The match was a prelude to the men's international later Friday between Australia and Ghana at Sydney Football Stadium.