The Subway Joeys will now have to win their final group stage match at the AFC Under-17 Asian Cup after they were defeated 2-0 by United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday morning.
There were nine Isuzu UTE A-League talents in the starting XI for the clash in Taif with Jai Ajanovic (Central Coast Mariners), Besian Kutleshi (Western United), Charlie Parkin (Brisbane Roar), Haine Eames (Central Coast Mariners), Quinn MacNicol (Brisbane Roar) Amlani Tatu (Adelaide United), Rhys Williams (Brisbane Roar), Logan Sambrook (Central Coast Mariners) and Christian Pullela (Perth Glory) all selected to start.
Coming into the game off the back of a 1-1 draw with Vietnam on Matchday One, the Joeys almost got off to a flying start with Roar forward MacNicol hitting the bar from close range in just the fourth minute.
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However the woodwork would prove to be a constant scourge for Brad Maloney’s side and they soon went 1-0 down; forward Mayed Adel nodding home the opener in the ninth minute as the UAE caught the Joeys on the counter.
Adelaide United young gun Tatu came close to levelling in the 14th minute however his knuckleball free-kick was tipped over the bar by the keeper.
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The side creating all the chances, the Joeys again found the woodwork shortly after half-time as Max Anastasio’s shot was tipped onto the post by UAE keeper Mohammed Nasser Albastaki.
Much like the first half though, the Joeys could have scored at one end and then conceded at the other as UAE winger Mohamed Buti Almarar slammed home a stunning strike from a tight angle which beat Central Coast Mariners keeper Ajanovic at his near post.
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Now two down, the Joeys had several good chances to but either found the keeper or the woodwork as they succumbed to a 2-0 loss in Saudi Arabia.
The result leaves Maloney’s side sat bottom of Group B with just one point from two games and they now must defeat Japan in their final group stage match on Friday morning to have any hope of progressing through to the knockout stages.
Furthermore, should they fail to defeat the Samurai Blue then they will also miss out on a spot at the FIFA U17 World Cup later this year.
Main image credit: Football Australia
