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April 24, 2002

Australia U-19 National Team overwhelm an outclassed Tonga

Australia 11 Tonga 0
Oceania U-19 WWC 2002 qualification tournament
Tongan National Stadium, Nuku'alofa, Tonga
April, 24 2002

Group B
Match 1

Scoring

Australia

Hayley Crawford 5, Collette McCallum 19, 88, Emma Davison 22, Caitlin Muñoz 28, Selin Kuralay 44, 50, 67, Thea Slatyer 51, Amber Neilson 63, Stacey Stocco 75

Australia
Hartley
McShea (captain)
Reuter
Slatyer
McCallum
Muñoz (Neilson 58)
Stocco
Davison
Harch
De Vanna (Canham 46)
Crawford (Kuralay 35)

Game

Tonga defended with great determination but, despite an excellent performance by their goalkeeper Likiliki, the experience, skill, and fitness of the Matildas were too much. Australia scored their first goal after five minutes and in the following twenty five minutes added three more.

Highlights included Collette McCallum's set plays, scoring twice from long range freekicks and delivering two corners which were converted by Hayley Crawford and Emma Davison. Selin Kuralay came in ten minutes before half time, and finished top scorer with a hattrick. Caitlin Muñoz scored from a McCallum freekick. Defender Thea Slatyer volleyed home an Elissia Canham cross, Amber Neilson nailed a 20 metre drive, and Stacey Stocco nicked in from close range from a Canham cross.

Goalkeeper Lisa Hartley and forward Lisa De Vanna each celebrated their youth international debut as members of the starting eleven.

Post game quote

National Youth Coach Mike Mulvey

it was a pleasing first-up performance. Once we started to adapt to the conditions, including the hard surface, we started to play some good stuff. Now we're looking to fine-tune the quality of our passing. Some of the goals were spectacular, but I am looking forward to improvement in the next game.
No serious injuries but some players have been badly grazed on the hard, dry surface.

The Young Matildas face the Cook Islands on Friday who are coached by Maurice Tillotson, former senior National Coach of New Zealand. With Group B the smaller pool (3 teams), this will be Australia's last preliminary match before next Wednesday's semifinals.

Current Standings
Group A
New Zealand 3pts
Fiji 1
American Samoa 1
Samoa 0
Group B
Australia 3pts
Cook Islands 0
Tonga 0

Australia's Next Match :
Fri 26 April 6.00pm* (3.00pm AEST) Cook Islands v Australia