Australia 7: Laos 0

The Australian Joeys have begun their qualification campaign for the AFC U-16Championship 2010 with a 7-0 victory over Laos at McKellar Park in Canberra on Tuesday evening.

In cool and windy conditions, the Joeys outclassed their opposition with seven unanswered goals to kick start the Group H qualifiers with a comfortable victory.

The national under-16s started well and Jesse Makarounas had two golden opportunities within as many minutes to put his side in the lead but couldn’t find the target on both occasions early in the first half.

The Joeys eventually took the lead through Jake Monaco after 26 minutes when the midfielder volleyed home a Brodie Paterson cross at the back post.

Laos’ best chance came late in the half when a piece of individual brilliance from Lembo Saysana nearly levelled the scores. Lembo stepped through the Joeys defence to be one on one with the keeper but the striker’s quick feet couldn’t beat custodian Lachlan Tibbles and the resulting rebound was struck into the side netting.

The Joeys broke the game open in the dying minutes of the first half with two goals in two minutes from Paterson and Jake Monaco respectively.

Paterson doubled the Joeys' lead after the 42nd minute with a speculative cross from the right hand wing floating over the out stretched finger tips of Laotian keeper Phonepaseuth Vongsipasom just inside the far post.

Moments later, a great save from Phonepaseuth denied Jesse Makarounas after a neat touch from the striker at the top of the 18-yard box set up a great opportunity. But the resulting rebound was put home by Monaco after the ball was spilt by the keeper only metres from goal.

Down 3-0 at half time, Laos started the second stanza looking to reduce the deficit and the visitors came close with Lembo’s pace proving a handful for the Joeys defenders.

Lembo won a free kick on the edge of the 18-yard box after being obstructed but the free kick was blaster over the crossbar by captain Khonesavanh Sihavong early in the second half.

Laos’ second chance came only minutes later when a dangerous through ball from Nidnilanh Chanchaleune saw Saysana winning the foot race in pursuit but committed keeping from Tibbles clearing the ball from danger.

The Joeys capitalised on their opponents missed chances by scoring another two goals mid-way through the second half when substitute Joshua Da Silva put his strike partner Makarounas through, before the provider turned goalscorer five minutes later.

The Joeys rounded out their scoring with the best of them all when Yianni Perkatis blasted his left foot shot from outside the area into the top right corner as Phonepaseuth got a hand to it but couldn’t push it past his left hand upright.

Despite the scoreline, Joeys head coach Jean-Paul de Marigny was pleased with the result but admitted his side has some improving to do before their next game against Malaysia.

“Unfortunately we weren’t consistent enough,” Marigny said following the match.

“We’ve got a certain style of football we want to play and I don’t think we took full advantage of that, it broke down quite a lot and individually a little bit disappointing but I’m happy with the result of course because it’s a tournament.

“There’s always nervous in the first game as we saw but we’re really looking forward to the second game," concluded de Marigny.

The Joeys' next match in the AFC U-16 Championship (Qualifiers) is against Malaysia on Saturday 10 October at McKellar Park.

Malaysia 0 Laos 6 ..