Socceroos thrash Malayasia

Australia warmed up for next week's World Cup Qualifier against Oman by easing to a comfortable 5-0 win against Malaysia in their friendly international at Canberra Stadium on Friday night, set up by a four-goal first-half blitz.

Australia warmed up for next week's World Cup Qualifier against Oman by easing to a comfortable 5-0 win against Malaysia in their friendly international at Canberra Stadium on Friday night, set up by a four-goal first-half blitz.

Josh Kennedy and Alex Brosque netted a brace each after Luke Wilkshire had given Australia the early advantage within 120 seconds with gallant Malaysia being outclassed in all areas of the field and hardly testing either Adam Federici or his second half replacement Nathan Coe in the full ninety minutes.

Australia had a dream start taking the lead in the second minute. Patient build up play resulted in Rhys Williams, overlapping from full back, being given the freedom of the Malaysian penalty area and from his square pass Wilkshire couldn-t miss, tapping into an empty net from close range.

To their credit Malaysia immediately responded with Safee Sali driving a low cross-shot across the face of the under-employed Federici but that was the closest that the visitors came as Australia dominated possession.

Chances came thick and fast for the Socceroos with Kennedy heading wide when well-placed, after sneaking in undetected behind the Malaysian back-four, and Brosque fluffing his lines and scuffing a great chance at the busy Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.

Brosque went close again moments later when his overhead kick from a corner was scrambled off the line, the dead-ball a result of a superb save by Che Mat after a surge and strike by Michael Zullo.

By now it was evident that Australia were a class apart and, after Josh Kennedy thrashed a thunderbolt volley just wide, the Socceroos took a 2-0 lead.

Neil Kilkenny was the architect, the Bristol City midfielder sliding a precisely measured through ball into the feet of Kennedy inside the penalty area and the big striker did the rest sweeping his shot inside the goalkeeper-s near post.

Brosque could have added a third four minutes later but after superbly bringing down a Kilkenny chip and rounding the ‘keeper saw his effort sensationally blocked on the line by the backtracking Mohamad Ahmad.

Nonetheless it took the lively forward less than sixty seconds to make amends as he lashed home a Kennedy lay-off with the Malaysian defence in disarray.

It was four before the interval, as Kennedy grabbed his second of the night volleying home from a delicious Williams cross, with Australia in total control.

Holger Osieck rang the changes at the break introducing Coe for Federici, Matthew Spiranovic for Sasa Ognenovski, Adam Sarota for hometown hero Carl Valeri and James Troisi for two-goal Kennedy.

Starting the second stanza much as they had finished the first the Socceroos continued to pile on the pressure on the bewildered Malaysian rearguard with Troisi seeing his downward header pushed away to safety.

Perhaps inevitably though the pace slackened as Australia took their collective foot of the pedal, content to keep possession and run the Malaysians ragged in midfield.

When they did up the tempo a fifth goal suddenly appeared from no-where in the 69th minute. Brosque collected a pass on the edge of the penalty area and spun sharply to send a fierce low drive beyond the despairing reach of Che Mat to claim his second of the night, a deserved return for an energetic display.

Whilst the disparity in class was evident throughout the encounter the performance, and the goals that came with it, will be a another welcome boost to the Socceroos as their build-up for a place in Brazil 2014 gathered further momentum with Oman next on the agenda in Sydney.

Australia 5 (Luke Wilkshire 2-, Josh Kennedy 33-, 45-, Alex Brosque 38-, 69-) Malaysia 0