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Olyroos in strong position on road to Rio

30th March, 2015
5

The Olyroos are a commanding position as they head into their final match of the Asian Football Confederation under-23 Championship qualifier against Burma on Tuesday.

Australia have had a flying start on their road to the Rio 2016 Olympics, thumping hosts Taiwan 4-0 on Sunday to add to their 6-0 demolition of Hong Kong in their opening clash in Kaohsiung City last week.

Tuesday’s match against Burma, who have also opened with two wins, will decide who claims top spot in the group with the Olyroos level on points and only ahead on goal difference.

Australia need to top their group or be one of the five best second-placed teams to secure a place at the AFC Under-23 Championship in Qatar next year, which doubles as the qualifying tournament for the 2016 Olympics.

Goals from former Newcastle Jets pair Josh Brillante and Adam Taggart, Western Sydney’s Jaushua Sotirio and England-based Brad Smith helped Aurelio Vidmar’s side claim the emphatic victory on Sunday.

Brillante, who plays in the Italian top flight with Emploi, opened the scoring in a culmination of an 18-pass move from the Australian under-23s.

Taggart doubled the advantage just before the break, his strike was a timely confidence boost for the Fulham striker on his road to full fitness after a series of hamstring injuries.

Wanderers 19-year-old winger Sotirio found the back of the net with a long range bullet, while Smith rounded out the scoring when he tucked home a neat cut back from close range after coming off the bench.

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