OLYROO PROVES HE’S IN TOP NICK
THEY were two goals 24 minutes apart but more than a decade in the making – and proved invaluable for the Olyroos and the 21-yearstriker who grabbed them.
Gold Coast product Nick D’Agostino’s pair of goals against South Korea proved enough to earn Australia passage to the final round of Olympic qualifying and put the spotlight on a player marked long ago as talented but still struggling to cut through in the A-League.
The result meant the Olyroos defied their lack of seeding to qualify for next January’s AFC U23 Championships, where the top three nations will advance to Tokyo in 2020.
After a pair of 6-0 wins, D’Agostino’s assured finishes helped the Olyroos to a 2-2 draw against Korea in Phnom Penh on Tuesday.
The goals were also a welcome highlight in what D’Agostino admits has been “a frustrating season” at Brisbane Roar, where he has started just four games and played only 400 minutes.
“I’ve not had a solid 90 minutes week-in week-out, but you always want to play for your country, it’s a dream for me,” the Runaway Bay junior said.
“Graham Arnold gave me my chance and I hope I did him, myself and my family proud. It gives me confidence, scoring for my country, and hopefully I can take that back to Brisbane.”