By Kieran Yap 7/8/2025
Above: Skye Halmarick
Australia U20’s 14-0 Tajikistan U20’s
An early Skye Halmarick hatrick and a midfield masterclass by Avaani Prakash has helped the Young Matildas to a 14-0- win against Tajikistan in the opening game of Asian Cup qualifiers.
Alex Epakis’s first competitive game in charge was a successful and relentless attacking performance in which Australia’s Under 20’s easily swept aside their opponents in the first phase of the tournament.
Alexia Apostolakis captained the side in her second World Cup cycle in the Under 20 setup, with a midfield anchored by Zara Kruger and propelled by Prakash and Maddy Caspers, Australia was on the front foot early.
Once the ball got to the feet of the likes of Tianna Fuller or Halmarick up front, all that Tajikistan could do was hope, and some excellent finishing put the game beyond doubt early.
A third minute corner caused mayhem in the penalty box and Halmarick forced the ball over the line from barely a yard out to open to scoring.
The new Sydney FC signing doubled the lead by finishing off Talia Younis’s cross from the right with a far post volley.
Australia made it 3-0 in the 20th minute when Halmarick broke the offside trap and fired into the roof of the net on her left foot.
India Breier scored directly from an in swinging corner kick to bring up the Young Matilda’s fourth goal.
Caspers got in on the act in the 28th minute when she headed home another Younis cross. Australia’s wide play and ability to spread the ball quickly from the middle was a problem that Tajikistan could not come to terms with.
Canberra United defender Teagan Bertolissio scored Australia’s sixth after thrashing home following a short corner routine and Breier’s eventual cross to the back post.
Halmarick brought up her fourth of the half with another calm finish on the volley. Her ability to ghost behind defences and lose markers deep in attack is an exciting feature of her play, and her finishing is elite. That goal sent Australia in the to break with a 7-0 lead and Tajikistan with a decision to make.
In any large win, the team on the receiving end of the goals has to either shut up shop and play to reserve goal difference, or try and chase the lead. In these early group stages it can make all the difference between finishing second of last. With Australia’s defence untroubled for almost the entirely of this game, Tajikistan’s best path would have been to park the bus and try and keep the score to single digits. Unfortunately Tianna Fuller would have more say in the matter.
The Central Coast Marineres striker controlled the ball on the left, nodded it past her opponent, flicked it beyond the next one and struck a powerful effort on her right boot top make it eight goals to start off the second half.
Before Tajikistan had time to reset and before the viewers had time to see the replay the ball was in the back of the net again. Prakash wriggled into attack and was brought down after rounding the goalkeeper. The Western United midfielder slotted the spot kick herself. Nine.
With the game well and truly won, Epakis brought on Sienna Saveska, and as usual, she scored. Prakash was the architect of the move once again with a run from deep and the cut the ball square to Saveska on the edge of the box. The former Wanderer swivelled into space and shot off her left foot to score Australia’s 10th and underline the exciting depth in the squad.
Prakash scored her second of the game with a stunning stike similar to Fuller’s earlier one. A curling effort from the edge of the penalty box into the top right corner of the net. Saveska made it 12 after fellow substitute Amber Luchtmeijer forced the keeper into a diving save at her feet.
Luchtmeijer’s weaving run in the penalty box resulted in her first for the game and Australia’s 13th. It was a calm finish and a composed piece of play in traffic.
Saveska brought up her hatrick with another powerful strike from the edge of the box after some clever footwork to find the space.
Australia ended the game with 14 goals, two hatricks, eight separate scorers and a dominant and diverse midfield display. The were able to attack out wide or through the middle with equal proficiency which is an encouraging thing to see so early on in this team’s journey.
The attacking options each bring something different. Saveska can shoot from any distance, Halmarick’s clever off the ball movement can make her a nightmare to mark and Fuller is like a young Caitlin Foord in her dribbling style and propensity to cut in from the left and shoot.
Prakash and Caspers were outstanding in midfield, with Prakash seemingly at the heart of every attack. She is too fast for this level, and too inexperienced for the next one, but given time and more A-League Women games, she will likely develop into a very dangerous playmaker.
She can score, pass, cross and dribble. After standing out at the last U20 World Cup, Prakash looks like one of the leaders in this next cycle and was outstanding in this first fixture.
Australia now prepare to play Palestine on Saturday morning.
Teams: AUSTRALIA: Melegh, Bertolissio, Breier, Halmarick, Fuller, Kruger, Apostolakis, Prakash, Caspers, Younis, Sullivan. Substitutes: Bennett, Lobo, Dewey, Broughton, Luchtmeijer, Cassar, Saveska, Black, Fante, Tallon-Hennicker, Trimis, Kinsella.
Scorers: Halmarick 3’, 8’, 20’, 42’. Caspers 28’, Bertolissio 32’, Fuller 47’, Breier 49’, Prakash 49’, 71’. Saveska 58’, 82’, 90+4’, Luchtmeijer 89’.
TAJIKISTAN: Shakhnoza, Safarzoda, Marjona, Nasrullovea, Mekhrona, Bakhrom, Uljamol, Farahnoz, Manzura, Shukrona, Shokhsanam. Substitutes: Ibragimova, Mirzoeva, Nurova, Dzhuraeva, Noziya, Omina, Dadomatova, Uzokova, Charoskhon, Rasulova, Shomurodova.
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