Match Report
Jamie Maclaren's hat-trick and a debut double by Harry Souttar earned the Caltex Socceroos a dominant 5-0 FIFA World Cup™ qualifying win over Nepal.
Maclaren hit a quick-fire double inside 20 minutes to put Australia in the ascendancy as Graham Arnold’s side controlled possession and territory in the first international played in Canberra in four years.
The towering Souttar threatened from set pieces throughout and the Scotland-born 20-year-old glanced in a third goal on 23 minutes as Australia’s quality shone through.
Souttar scored again from close range with the help of a huge deflection on 59 minutes and Maclaren's late strike completed the rout against the team ranked 161 in the world, 117 places behind behind the Caltex Socceroos.
The victory in Australia’s only home match of 2019 makes it a perfect six points from two games in Group B, with Graham Arnold’s side facing a trip to play Chinese Taipei on Tuesday, October 15.
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Arnold made five changes from the 3-0 win in Kuwait, fielding a brand new centre-half partnership with Souttar earning his first senior cap, becoming Caltex Socceroo number 606, alongside fellow England-based defender Bailey Wright.
