The LG Joeys will take a handy lead into the deciding leg of the final qualifier for the FIFA Under-17 World Championship, after a 3-0 victory over New Zealand in the first leg in Canberra tonight.
Despite dominating the first half, Australia went into the half-time break with the scoreline locked at 0-0, however two minutes into the second half, the home side assertion paid off.
Midfielder Fred Agius made a break down the left and crossed the ball to Brett Holman, whose left footer flew into the back of the net for Australia's first.
It was the Holman/Agius combination which also led to Australia's second, the striker making the break and threading the ball through to Agius, who left the keeper with no chance.
Agius then put the icing on the cake for the LG Joeys in the second minute of extra time, on the end of a pass from second half replacement Spase Dilevski to beat the keeper for his second of the night.
"We started out alright tonight, but in all honesty, I don't think we were as positive as we could have been in the first half, and we gave them a little too much respect," said coach Ange Postecoglou after the match.
"The second half was a different story, we were a lot more positive, and I felt we looked a class above - but in saying that, it was still 0-0 at half-time.
"We'll now go to New Zealand for Sunday's return leg again looking for a victory - while tonight's win may have been a comfortable one in the end, we won't be sitting on it." he concluded.
The LG Joeys depart Canberra for New Zealand tomorrow, with the second and final Qualifying leg to be played at McKinlay Park, Mt Wellington (Auckland), this Sunday (8th April), kick-off set down for midday.