ADELAIDE, 31 May 2004: Australia has comfortably beaten Tahiti 9-0 in the second match of round two at Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide tonight.
Australian-born part Samoan midfielder, Tim Cahill, making his first start for the Socceroos, scored the game’s first goal in the 14th minute with a trademark header in the box. He scored his second goal in similar fashion from a corner just after the break.
Australia went into the break with a 3-0 lead helped by an own goal by Tahiti a minute shy of the whistle. A few minutes earlier, Josip Skoko had scored from just outside the box.
The committed effort by the Tahitians fell away after the two goal spree just before half-time and they never recovered after the break as the merciless Socceroos piled on more misery.
Replacement Mile Sterjovski came on to score a second half hat-trick while David Zrilic and Scott Chipperfield inflated the lead with two well taken goals at the end. By then the Tahitian cause had withered considerably. It was a far cry from the urgency they displayed against Fiji in their first round draw.
The match was an otherwise clean affair with no cards in front of an appreciative crowd of close to 1200 braving the cold.
Round 2: Match 5 – 31 May 2004, 5:30pm
Australia vs Tahiti
Full-time score: 9-0 Australia
Half-time score: 3-0 Australia
Goal-scorers: Aus – (10) Tim Cahill 14′, 47′; (8) Josip Skoko 43′; OG Tahiti 44′; (15) Mile Sterjovski 51′, 61′, 74′; (17) David Zrilic 85′; (6) Scott Chipperfield 89′
Cautions: none
Expulsions: none
Crowd Attendance: 1,200+
Weather: Overcast
Venue: Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Match Officials:
Match Commissioner: Tautulu Roebeck (Samoa)
Referee Inspector: Hari Naicker (Fiji)
Referee: Harry Attison (Vanuatu)
Assistant Referee 1: Tony Meltetamat (Vanuatu)
Assistant Referee 2: Paul Dunham (New Zealand)
Fourth Official: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark)
Team Lists (& Substitutions)
AUSTRALIA
18. Zeljko Kalac GK
2. Jade North
5. Tony Vidmar (c)
6. Scott Chipperfield
8. Josip Skoko (-46′)
9. John Aloisi (-46′)
10. Tim Cahill
11. Stan Lazaridis (-46′)
13. Vince Grella
17. David Zrilic
20. Adrian Madaschi
Subs
3. Steve Laybutt
4. Simon Colosimo
7. Brett Emerton
12. Alex Brosque
14. Patrick Kisnorbo (+46′)
15. Mile Sterjovski (+46′)
19. Max Vieri
21. Ahmad Elrich (+46′)
22. Brad Jones RGK
23. Marco Bresciano
Coach: Frank Farina
TAHITI
19. Daniel Tapeta GK
2. Angelo Tchen
3. Pierre Kugogne
5. Jean-Yves Liwaut (-80′)
7. Samuel Garcia (c)
8. Billy Mataitai
10. Axel Temataua
12. Farahia Teuira
13. Vincent Simon (-61′)
16. Felix Tagawa
17. Hiro Labaste (-58′)
Subs
1. Stanley Tien Wah RGK
4. Iotua Kautai
6. Harry Tong Sang
9. Gabriel Wajoka
11. Taufa Neuffer (+58′)
14. Rino Moretta
15. Larry Marmouyet (+61′)
18. Georges Pittoeff (+80′)
20. Xavier Samin
Coach: Gerard Kautai