Australia's Matildas have managed one of their most significant achievements with victory in the Tournament of Nations following a 6-1 rout of Brazil in Carson, California.

The Matildas' triumph, highlighted by doubles to Lisa De Vanna and Caitlin Foord, will sit alongside their Asian Cup win in 2010 in terms of its importance on the international stage and it is sweet revenge for their quarter-final exit via penalties at the hands of Brazil at last year's Rio Olympics.

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Their undefeated run through the round-robin tournament included a historic first defeat of world champions United States and local rival Japan, setting them up for an assault on the World Cup in France in 2019.

The Tournament of Nations may have only been a series of friendlies but the quality of the opposition, with the US ranked number one in the world and Japan sixth, added to the significance of the result.

Matildas coach Alen Stajcic said he was "extremely proud" of his squad to complete an unbeaten campaign in the US.

"We only had one training session as a group," he said.

"But the maturity and the professionalism of which they came in this time was the best it's ever been and I think it laid the platform for the performance we saw."

The world number seven Matildas, who only needed a draw to win the Tournament of Nations, produced a dominant first-half display against Brazil to lead 4-1 at the break and put the result beyond doubt, following goals to De Vanna (2), Foord and Katrina-Lee Gorry.

Defence was the order of the day from both sides after half-time, but Foord made the most of a through ball from teammate Tameka Butt in the 68th minute to score her second and extend the Matildas' lead.

Star striker Sam Kerr, coming off a hat-trick against Japan, closed out the scoring with the Matildas' sixth goal in the 81st minute, adding to an superb all-round display, which also included two assists.

Matildas overcome Brazil's fast start

Earlier, Brazil could not have asked for a better start when Camila found the back of the net in only the second minute.

But Brazil's lead was short-lived with De Vanna slotting the first of her two goals five minutes later.

Kerr had been brought down in the box by Brazil's Bia Zaneratto, which led to De Vanna equalising from close range after her spot kick was saved.

Australia's Lisa De Vanna celebrates after scoring a goal against Brazil. ( Reuters: Kelvin Kuo )

The Matildas moved in front when Foord finished off an outstanding full-field movement, which included a neat cross from Kerr, just after the half-hour mark and her effort was followed by De Vanna's second two minutes later.

De Vanna's double was a milestone moment, as she moved ahead of Kate Gill as the Matildas' all-time leader goal scorer with 42.

Gorry rounded out the first-half scoring in the 41st minute, her goal making up for some of the disappointment when she missed a spot kick against Brazil at the Rio Olympics.

The final result was soured to some extent for the Matildas, however, with Chloe Logarzo leaving the field with an ankle injury in the first half.

Matildas 'want to be a World Cup contender'

Australia's Ellie Carpenter (L) attempts to shut down Brazil defender Monica. ( Reuters: Kelvin Kuo )

While there is still much planning ahead for Stajcic and his squad with the World Cup on the horizon, their performances in the Tournament of Nations will only do wonders for their confidence.

Stajcic spoke about the self-belief gained from the Matildas' first ever win over the US - a 1-0 victory- in their opening match last Friday and that would have grown with the impressive display in accounting for 2011 World Cup winners Japan.

The fact they weathered an early storm from Brazil by responding with six unanswered goals will put every international team on notice that the Matildas are tracking well in the build-up to the World Cup.

"I think over the last two, three years we've shown we can compete against the big countries in one-off matches," Stajcic said.

"But this was really the first time that we have strung three good games together in a row and that is really the platform we ask of ourselves. We want to be a World Cup contender.

"At the World Cup you've got to do it six or seven times and not just three."

The Matildas have made the quarter-final stage at the past three World Cups.