Australia third team to qualify for U-17 World Cup
KUALA LUMPUR: Australia became the third team to secure a ticket to the Under-17 World Cup (U-17) in Peru next year after beating Indonesia 3-2 in the third quarter-finals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-16 Championship at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
The victory saw Australia accompanying Japan and Tajikistan to the 2019 U-17 World Cup.
For the record, two-time champions Japan and Tajikistan became the first two teams to secure tickets to Peru after beating their respective opponents in the first and second quarter-finals of the AFC U-16 Championships on Sunday.
Australia would meet Japan in the semi-finals action at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Thursday.
Based on the format of the tournament, four teams eligible to the semi-final of the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship, qualified for the 2019 U-17 World Cup.
In the action yesterday, Australia bounced back in the second half after losing 0-1 in the first half of the match.
Indonesia first broke the impasse in the 16th minute via an attempt by Sutan Diego Armandoondriano from outside the penalty box after the Australian’s defenders failed to clear the ball from the danger area and the 1-0 result stayed until the end of the first half of the match.
As soon as the match resumed, Australia again double its aggression and managed to equalise in the 51st minute with a Daniel Thomas Walsh’s header from a free kick taken by a teammate.
The carelessness of the Indonesian’s defence was punished by the Joeys’ squad who scored their second goal via an Adam James Leombruno’s left foot in the 65th before they added Indonesia’s woe with a third goal from Noah Vinko Botic’s solo attempt in the 74th minute.
Indonesia managed to narrow the deficit through a Rendy Juliansyah’s finishing touch in the 89th minute but failed to prevent Australia from booking a semi-final ticket. - Bernama