Australia U20 5-0 Chinese Taipei U20
By Kieran Yap 3/4/26
Above: Peta Trimis. Photo: AFC/Football Australia
The Young Matildas have begun their U20 Asian Cup with a confident performance against Chinese Taipei. Goals to Peta Trimis, Skye Halmarick and Tiana Fuller gave Australia a 5-0 win at True BG Stadium in Pathum Thani
Coach Alex Epakis named a strong lineup for his first competitive match in charge of the side. Zara Kruger anchored a midfield with Talia Younis and Avaani Prakash as twin playmakers.
Australia attacked from the opening whistle, and dominated possession. An early effort from Prakash sailed over the bar, but the intent was clear, the Young Matildas were looking to set the tone.
There were some nervy moments early. Emma Dundas’s heart must have momentarily stopped when a 40 yard back pass evaded goalkeeper Ilona Melegh, but luckily it missed the goal.
The breakthrough arrived in the 24th minute, and was reward for Australia’s proactive play. Kruger’s long range effort crashed off the crossbar and Halmarick reacted quickest to tap home the rebound.
Peta Trimis was the architect of the second. The Central Coast Mariner is playing in her second U20 Asian Cup and is one of the more experienced A-League Women stars in this side. She was at her creative best in the 44th minute when she made space of her non-preferred left boot to bend a ball to the back post for her club teammate Fuller to finish.
Halmarick worked her magic to score a third almost immediately after halftime. The Sydney FC striker worked her way into a shooting position at the edge of the box and found the bottom corner with a well placed strike.
Three minutes later, Trimis had her first of this tournament. This time, meeting Fuller’s low cross in a mirror image of the earlier goal.
The final goal, and Trimis’s second will be sure to make Epakis happy. Australia had pressed hard all game, and even at 4-0 that continued. Halmarick won the ball back in midfield and played a perfect pass into the path of the rapidly advancing Trimis. The finish was as good as the buildup and ended the scoring for the day.
With no intention of taking the foot off the pedal, Australia turned to the bench, Poppy O’Keeffe, Danella Butrus, Sienna Dale, Amelia Cassar and Amelia Bennett all made their Asian Cup debuts.
There is depth in this squad, and although Chinese Taipei did not really test the defence or Melegh, they were not given much chance to. The Young Matildas played with an energy and speed that defied the afternoon Thailand heat.
The 5-0 win was an ideal start to the tournament, and another win against India will see them guaranteed a place in the knockout stages.
They were impressive, entertaining, and encouraging but frighteningly they still have room to improve before they face Japan in the final group stage match. There were some moments of opening-game rust, but that was quickly brushed off by a team unincumbered by any errors, unafraid of risk, and confident in their abilities.
Prakash and Younis were both typically tricky, and mobile in the opening half, and they could have faith that the likes of Rubi Sullivan, Tegan Bertolissio, Dundas and captain Alexia Apostolakis would be in support.
For long term viewers of Australian national teams, the side’s willingness to shoot from distance and test the opposition defence in from different angles and positions will be a welcome sight.
Chinese Taipei were set up in a disciplined, low-block and were not as easy to break down as the score-line suggests. The Young Matildas had to find solutions and be patient before the breakthrough arrived, and when it did, they were able to take full advantage and add to the score.
This was a supremely confident start to tournament football for this generation of Young Matildas.
Australia next play India on Sunday at 4pm local time.
Teams: AUSTRALIA (4-3-3): Melegh, Apostolakis, Dundas, Sullivan, Bertolissio, Kruger, Prakash, Younis, Fuller, Trimis, Halmarick. Substitutes: Cassar, Butrus, O’Keeffe, Dale, Bennett, Black, Breier, Brown, Collins, McMahon, Ritchie, Tallon-Henniker,
Goals: Fuller 44’ Halmarick 24’ 50’ , Trimis 53’ 61’
CHINESE TAIPEI (4-5-1): J.Y Jie, C Li, L Szu-ying, P Lin, T Shao, J Liao, H Huang, H Kao, H Ma, Y Lo, Y Li. Substitutes: C Tzu-Yu, Huang, C Yi-fei, F Chih-ling, C Yeng-Xuan, C Wei-tong, L Pei-yao, L Yu-Hui, W Ruo-Ping, P Pei-qing, H Tzu-han, L Pin-yun.
Referee: Saitkulova Gulshoda.
Attendance: TBC
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