Subject: U20 Australia NT Discussion

Evening All

It is grand final week in the Australian NRL, and also Grand final for the PPM Australian U20 team as far as World Cup qualification is concerned this weekend.

To update you on last week contest, another EPIC game... Here is a summary of Australia v Ireland:
- In the 4th minute Australia scores to yet another goal by defender Flynn Ayres, his 3rd in 3 consecutive matches so Australia takes an early 1-0 lead.
- At the 25th minute Ireland equalise, and it is 1-1 at half-time.
- In the 53rd minute our captain Jack Berry scores after a run down the right wing and Australia are again in the lead 2-1
- But again Ireland find the equaliser in the 69th minute.
- With the games running down, in the 85th minute Ireland score, and unfortunately we go down 3-2, but a fabulous effort by our players (on 49% possession).

The scores, and close loss were essential as it actually has put us slightly ahead of GF:GA against our rival Chile, who also lost to Croatia that weekend.

As we head in to the last match of the qualifying round, two seasons of qualifying now depend on two matches played this weekend. Australia v Bosnia, and France v Chile.

The table looks like this heading into the last match:
1st: Croatia = 32 points
2nd: Bosnia = 30 points
3rd: France = 26 points
4th: Australia = 15 points (Goal Diff = -1)
5th: Chile = 15 points (Goal Diff = -2)
6th: Ireland = 11 points
7th: Algeria = 8 points
8th: Israel = 8 points

So it's a massive week for the Australian U20 as they play a top team of their group, looking for the World Cup qualifying position. Unfortunately Flynn Ayres, a leading defender (and goal scorer!) is suspended this week. A draw or small loss is essential this week, as on paper both Chile & Australia are expected to lose this weekend, so it could well come down to GD to decide our fate.

See Group 7 here:
soccer.powerplaymanager.c...

Wish us luck, and good defending!

Until tomorrow,
This is U20!

Good luck Bronte, it will be an amazing effort on your part if you get the U20s to the World Cup!!
Go the Roosters haha

The team did us proud with a 1-1 draw vs Bosnia tonight, so really better than expected... France play Chile at about 2am now and Chile will need to win now to stop us qualifying... Fingers crossed.

I feel like New Zealand did last week when they were about to win the America's cup

Bloody yanks!

So i hate saying it, but go france?

+1

It was a great game from Australia U20s, how unlucky that they scored in added time
I think this is the first time i will ever support France for anything.

I'm affraid that they can play vl

You're at finals

GOOD LUCK and go for win

Fantastic effort. Apart from consolation competitions, I believe this is the first time we've qualified for anything. Congratulations!

India U17 has the same points and is out of the finals

I have to admit, we were very lucky being the group we were in in U20. But we'll take it

Fortune favors the better one

AWESOME match,
even better season!!!
keep going

Afternoon All

Well no doubt if you are reading this thread you will know the weekend's result. A 1-1 draw Australia U20 vs Bosnia, coupled with France's 2-0 win over Chile now see Australia U20 qualify for the World Cup U20 finals in the very first U20 tournament (100% strike rate ).

In summary we finished clear 4th of 8 in Group 7 on 16 points, with 4 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses. (Actually the lowest score by any team to qualify - we did ride the luck!)

The wins were against Israel(x2), Algeria & Chile
The draws were against Algeria, Chile, France & Bosnia.
The team this season has been vastly superior to last seasons with only 2 close losses (both 3-2) in this season's qualifying games.

In the match on the weekend William Goode scored again to be our leading goal scorer in the 11th minute. Unfortunately a last minute equaliser by Bosnia stopped us taking the full 3 points, but a great defensive effort it was, with 8 shots on goal to 3, and possession for us was only 46% (we did play a defensive game).

I assume the world cup draw will be this week, and we'll see who we are up against. The tournament website is here, so looks like a pretty hectic week or so coming up

nmsc2010.wix.com/worldcha...

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In other news, I would like to give someone else a go managing the U20 NT next season, so if you want to nominate yourselves, go right ahead. I have player research to hand over to whoever takes over to make it easier, and I'd like to see an Aussie manager continue (for the main reason to help us build a local vibrant community online, and get some stayers in our league so we can have a more competitive league and also challenge NT again!)

Until next time
This is U20!