The Subway Joeys have opened their 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup™ Qualifiers in convincing fashion, defeating the Northern Mariana Islands 23-0 at Shepparton Sport City on Wednesday night.
In a strong performance from Brad Maloney’s forward three, Nestory Irankunda scored four in a Man of the Match-winning performance, while Mitchell Glasson scored a four-pointer and Max Hately recorded a hat-trick.
The victory saw the Subway Joeys sit top of Group G with a matchday under their belt, building up valuable goal difference after China had beaten Cambodia 9-0 in the day’s earlier match.
Adelaide United’s Irankunda, who already has three goals in the A-League Men’s, started the game with a goal in less than two minutes.
Four minutes later, the winger was involved again when his pass was deflected into the back of the net for Australia’s second.
However, there was no doubt about Australia’s third as Irankunda unleashed a powerful long-range shot that sailed into the back of the net.
Striker Max Hately found himself at the end of many early chances, finally seizing his first after 28 minutes when his shot went under the keeper.
Mitchell Glasson then intervened from close range, before Irankunda earned Australia a penalty which Miguel Di Pizio coolly converted.
Glasson then doubled his tally with a shot from the front that made the seventh, while in the 38th minute Irankunda became the first player to score a hat-trick by scoring the third.
The home nation then scored twice in quick succession, through Jaylan Pearman and Hately, to see them hit double figures before halftime.
The second half started in familiar fashion, when Hately found his own hat-trick in the 47th minute.
Local boy Peter Antoniou scored the next in the 52nd minute, before Di Pizio finished off his second of the night two minutes later.
Brad Maloney, coaching the Subway Joeys for the first time since his appointment last month, introduced Tiago Quintal off the bench, and the Sydney FC attacker immediately rewarded him, scoring one at home moments after coming on.
Glasson also secured his hat-trick, heading home after an excellent run from Irankunda, before full-back Antoniou scored his second of the night with a sweet shot into the bottom corner.
A fine team play led to Glasson’s fourth a minute later, before Quintal’s second off the bench made it 18-0 with 20 minutes to go.
A Northern Mariana Islands goalkeeper substitution and rainy conditions helped stem the tide somewhat in the closing stages, however Australia would add five more through Irankunda, defenders Andre Parkes and Adriano Lebib, substitute Campbell Dovison , along with one of his own in the 89th minute. goal.
Australia won’t have long to sit out their 23-0 win, with a tougher test expected in Friday night’s encounter with Cambodia.
Only first place in Group G will guarantee a spot at next year’s AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2023™ in Kuwait, with only the top six second-ranked teams joining them in the tournament.
MATCH DETAILS
Subway Joeys 23 (Irankunda 1′, 6′, 16′, 38′, 71′, Hately 28′, 44′, 48′, Glasson 32′, 36′, 59′, 64′, Di Pizio 35′, 54′, Pearman 43 ‘, Antoniou 53′, 63′, Quintal 56′, 69′, Parkes 75′, Lebib 77′, Dovison 91′, Ngewakl (OG) 89’)
Northern Mariana Islands 0
Date: Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Venue: Shepparton Sports City Precinct
Start: 7:30 p.m. AEDT
Broadcast: live and free on the My Football YouTube channel
Total daily attendance: 484 (727 total daily attendance)
Man of the Match: 17. Nestory IRANKUNDA
Australian lineup: 1. Anthony PAVLESIC, 2. Peter ANTONIOU, 3. Sotiri PHILLIS, 4. Adriano LEBIB, 9. Max HATELY (7. Tiago QUINTAL 55′), 10. Miguel DI PIZIO, 13. Jacob MCLACHLAN (5. Xavier SMITH 46′ ), 14. Andre PARKES, 16. Jaylan PEARMAN (21. Fabian TALLADIRA 80′), 17. Nestory IRANKUNDA, 19. Mitchell GLASSON (20. Campbell DOVISON 80′)
Unused Substitutes: 6. Ryan KALMS, 8. Corey SUTHERLAND, 11. Ayman GULASI, 12. Michael VONJA, 15. Zachary DE JESUS, 18. Gus HOEFSLOOT, 22. Lucas HERRINGTON, 23. Ben DUNBAR
Yellow card: Null
Red card: Null
Classification Group G | AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers
Position
Nation
goal difference
Points
1.
Australia
+23
3
two.
Porcelain
+9
3
3.
Cambodia
-9
0
Four.
Northern Mariana Islands
-23
0
Source: news.google.com