Mini Matildas claim 8-0 win over Bahrain

The Australian U-16 Women’s team had a convincing 8-0 win in their opening match of the AFC Championships against Bahrain in Nanjing China.

The Australian U-16 Women-s team had a convincing 8-0 win in their opening match of the AFC Championships against Bahrain in Nanjing China.

Goalkeeper, Georgina Worth lead the team out as captain in Australia-s first match of the championships but she barely touched the ball in a first half as Australia dominated possession and comfortably passed the ball around the Bahrain team as they looked for openings in their defence. The first goal came in the 19th minute when Afrikah Mcgladrigan played in Rhianna Pollicina from the right, who beat two defenders and finished calmly inside the box.

Australia added another 2 goals in the next 5 minutes. Maddeline Stockdale got a touch from a corner for the second goal, then Jessica Pitts received a lay off and finished first time from outside the box.

Australia rounded off the first half with a fourth goal when Emily Henderson crossed in from the left wing which was finished first time by Afrikah Mcgladrigan running into the box.

The second half was similar to the first but it wasn-t until the introductions of substitutes Sunny Franco and Isabelle Dalton that Australia managed to add to the score line. Within 2 minutes of coming onto the field Franco added Australia-s 5th goal of the game in the 64th minute when she intercepted the ball from a Bahraini goal kick and rounded the goal kepper to finish.

Ten minutes later Franco scored her second and Australia-s 6th goal when Alex Chidiac calloected a loose ball on the edge of the goal box and played a first time ball to Franco in the goal box, who turned and beat the keeper with a low shot to the far post.

Alexandra Chidiac, also on as a substitute in the 70th minute, started and scored a fantastic team goal after she switched the ball to Emily Henderson on the left side of the field, who played a nice combination with Jessica Pitts down the wing before cutting the ball back in the box to Chidiac who finished first time.

Finally Sunny Franco wrapped up the match in the 85th minute after a short corner to Jessica Pitts who crossed into to Franco who was unmarked on the 6 yard box and finished neatly with a header to score her hat-trick and Australia-s 8th goal.

Coach Belinda Wilson was suitable pleased with the win but remained focused on the big test in the next match.

“I was very happy with the win and the team played the way we wanted for the whole 90 minutes. We continue to play our style of pro-active possession football, which created many chances, which we will need to finish against China.”

“I-m happy with a win in the first match and now we can concentrate on winning our next match against China.”

Australia currently sit second in their group, after China won their first match against Bahrain 17-0, and will face China on Sunday the 30th September knowing that a win allow them to progress to the semi-final of the competition. Only the top team from each of the four groups progress to the semi-finals on the 3rd October and the winners of the semi-finals face off in the final on the 6th October.

Australia-s matches can be seen streamed live on the AFC website: http://www.the-afc.com/en/u16-womens-championship-2013-schedule-results.html

Australia 8 (RHIANNA POLLICINA 19-, MADELINE STOCKDALE 22-, JESSICA PITTS 24-, AFRIKAH MCGLADRIGAN 35-, SUNNY FRANCO 64-/74-/85-, ALEXANDRA CHIDIAC 70-) Bahrain 0 Jiangning Sports Centre, Nanjing, CHINA P.R.

Mini Matildas line-up: 2. CHLOE O'BRIEN, 7. AFRIKAH MCGLADRIGAN, 9. TIA GAVIN (10. SUNNY FRANCO 62-), 12. JESSICA WATERHOUSE (8. ISOBEL DALTON 62-), 13. EMILY HENDERSON, 14. MADELINE STOCKDALE, 15. BEATRICE GOAD, 16. RHIANNA POLLICINA (22. ALEXANDRA CHIDIAC 70-), 18. GEORGINA WORTH (C) (GK), 19. VICTORIA GUZMAN, 23. JESSICA PITTS.

Substitutes: 1. TEAGAN MICAH (GK), 3. BROOKE GOODRICH, 4. SIENA SENATORE, 5. SOPHIE NENADOVIC, 6. AYESHA NORRIE, 11. ANGELA BEARD, 17. ELENI FAKOS, 20. MATILDA-LEE POTTER, 21. JADA MATHYSSEN (GK)

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil

Bahrain U16 line-up: 1. FARAH GHALY (C), 5. SHAIKHA LATIFA (2. ZAINAB QAROONI 73-), 7. NOOR, 8. AMIRA SOWAR, 9. ZAINAB ALQAIDOOM, 10. HESSA ALZAYANI, 11. ROSE FAYEZ FUAD ABDULLA TOBELLAH, 14. PHOEBE, 18. CATHE, 19. RAZAN SAYED, 21. DANA TARIF.

Substitutes: 3. NOORA ALI, 4. HANAN, 6. MARYAM, 13. MARYAM WAHEED NASER MOHAMED GHULOOM, 15. THAJBA HASAN ISA FARHAN ALBUNOODHA, 16. ZAIN, 20. RAWAN ALI AQEEL ALI MAHMOOD AL RAHMA, 22. ROZA, 23. NAWRAA.

Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil

Image courtesy of Craig Stockdale