Australia and Korea Republic face off for place in AFC U16 Champs

A place in the 2015 AFC U16 Championships is on the line tonight as Australia meet Korea Republic at Hang Jebat Stadium in Melaka, Malaysia in their final qualifying match.

Defeats of Vietnam (6-0) and Hong Kong (10-0) see the Mini Matildas enter the match on top of Group C, meaning a win or draw will be enough for Ante Juric's side to qualify for next year's championships.

"The girls have had this game in their minds for a while now and, in a sense, we have been planning for this game since day one," said Juric.

"We knew we had Vietnam and Hong Kong first up so we had things in place where we would work on our overall plan, changing little things for Vietnam and Hong Kong."

[More: Full coverage of Mini Matildas in Malaysia]

At youth level the Koreans have been one of the AFC heavyweights with the Taegeuk Girls former AFC and world champions at the U17 age group.

Korea Republic also enter the match in good form but Juric believes his players can overcome their more fancied opposition.

"They are obviously a lot better than the other two teams and we knew that was going to be the case and generally we planned for this."

"We have very good front third players that hopefully can capitalise on any spaces left."

The Mini Matildas have a plethora of attacking options with Ashlee Brodigan, Eliza Ammendolia, Melina Ayres, Joey Cartwright and Panagiota Petratos all scoring multiple goals while Princess Ibini, Kobie Ferguson, Grace Maher and Alex Chidiac have been creative forces.

Defensively have been barely troubled but the Jada Mathyssen-Whyman and Hannah Southwell led defences have been up to the task whenever threatened. Juric is quietly confident it can all come together tonight.

"We are in a better position than others possibly may have thought, but that only changes possibly their [Korea Republic] tactics to the game. It won't change ours."

Australia takes on Korea Republic tonight with kick off at 7.30pm (AEST). Match updates will be on TWG’s Facebook andTwitter.

Australia v Korea Republic

Wednesday, 8 October 2014

Stadium Hang Jebat, Melaka, Malaysia

Kick off: 7.30 (AEDST)

Mini Matildas squad

Eliza Ammendolia (NSW Country), Lexi Anastassiou (VIC), Melina Ayres (VIC), Savannah Boller (QLD), Hannah Bourke (NNSW), Ashlee Brodigan (Northern NSW), Ellie Carpenter (NSW), Joey Cartwright (NSW Country), Alexandra Chidiac (SA), Chelsie Dawber (SA), Kobie Ferguson (Northern NSW), Clare Hunt (NSW Country), Princess Ibini (NSW), Alexia Karrys-Stahl (ACT), Grace Maher (ACT), Jada Mathyssen-Whyman (NSW Country), Aimee Medwin (TAS), Brianna Oliverio (NSW), Panagiota Petratos (NSW), Hannah Southwell (NNSW), Adriana Taranto (VIC), Melissa Taranto (VIC), Arina Tokunaga (QLD)

Head Coach: Ante Juric

Assistant Coach: Vicki Linton