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August 12, 2002 Australia Under-19 Team gain experience as they lose to Japan Under-19 Team in pre-tournament friendly Japan U-19 2 Australia U-19 0 The Young Matildas received a taste of the quality of opposition they will face in the upcoming FIFAU-19 Women's World Championship losing 2-0 against Asian champions Japan on Saturday evening. The AustralianU-19 Team is in Vancouver for final preparations before this Saturday's kickoff when they face Asia's number two nation Chinese Taipei. It was an even first half against Japan, with Australia creating a number of chances but unable to finish. Japan scored in the 30th minute with their only chance of the first half to lead 1-0 at half time. They controlled most of the second half as both teams substituted freely. Japan was rewarded with a second goal midway through the second half. Australia U-19 National Coach Mike Mulvey was happy to at last play an international against a team which will be competing in the Championship, and took the opportunity to giveall eighteen players a run. "To playquality international opposition is fantastic," said Mulvey. "It's been the missing link in our preparation for the World Cup. We have seven days until our first group game against ChineseTaipei and we are on a steep learning curve. Everyone is working hard to make sure we are ready." He added,"Japan were more clinical than us today, and the players are now aware of the quality of opposition we will face in the World Cup. There were some good signs today, especially the chances wecreated." Australia Hartley(Marzotto 55) Slatyer (Dunne 60) McShea Reuter (Stevens 60) Canham (Gill46) Stocco (Davison 46) Neilson (Mitchell 75) Harch Kuralay Crawford(Munoz 80) Cannuli Since arrivingin Vancouver a week ago, the Young Matildas had a couple of days of acclimation before beating South West Missouri University, an NCAA DivisionI college team, by 3-1 on Thursday. Their final warm up is against a local provincial champion side before travelling to Victoria tomorrow our time in readiness for the kickoff of the historic event.