Australia U-23s tops group after Myanmar win

Australia U-23s have topped their group in their AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers after defeating host nation Myanmar 3-0 on Sunday night in front of a a noisy 30,000 fans in Yangon.

GAME SUMMARY

In their third and final game in the group, Australia showed their class again with incisive play down the flanks again key to this win in front of a huge crowd at the Thuwanna Stadium in Yangon.

Bruce Kamau’s early goal was a good example – the Melbourne City striker’s header courtesy of the excellent Jaushua Sotirio’s cross.

This early strike helped take the crowd out of the equation but Myanmar showed plenty to suggest this would be Australia’s toughest game in the group.

Wanderers’ defender Jonathan Aspro’s fortuitous header adding a second before the break and his club teammate Sotirio with the third in the second half.

AUSTRALIA’S STARTING XI

Paul Izzo, Nick Cowburn, Jon Aspro, Lachlan Jackson, Stefan Nigro, Joe Caletti, Stefan Mauk, Riley McGree, Bruce Kamau, George Blackwood, Jaushua Sotirio.

GOALS

Bruce Kamau 6′ 1-0

Jonathan Aspro 32′ 2-0

Jaushua Sotirio 58′ 3-0

THE GROUP

The win means Australia now tops Group F with a 100% record. Australia have won all three games scoring 12 times and conceding zero. Previous two group games: a 2-0 win over Brunei Darussalam and a 7-0 win over Singapore.

Myanmar finished second in the group on six points, Singapore third on three and Brunei Darussalam bottom with zero points.

OTHER GROUP QUALIFIERS IN THE TOURNAMENT

Group Winners:

Oman (Group A)

Iraq (Group B)

Qatar (Group C)

Uzbekistan (Group D)

Palestine (Group E)

Australia (Group F)

DPR Korea (Group G)

Malaysia (Group H)

Korea Republic (Group I)