Australia's campaign to qualify for the 2015 AFC U16 Championships has ended in heartbreak with a 1-0 loss to Korea Republic in Malaysia on Wednesday.

Substitute Im So-jeong's 69th minute goal was the difference in a match which Australia dominated possession and chances for much of the encounter.

Australia went into the match only requiring a draw to go through to the finals and the team started strongly.  However despite, controlling proceedings the Mini Matildas were unable to breach the Korean defence in the first half.

The deadlock was finally broken in the second half when the Koreans capitalised on an Australian missed chanced and quickly transitioned defence into attack.  Im calmly latched on a nicely weighted cross to volley home past a stranded Jada Mathyssen-Whyman.

The Mini Matildas pushed hard for an equaliser to no avail resulting in Korea Republic becoming the first team to qualify for the finals to be held in Wuhan in November 2015.

https://twitter.com/antejuric1/status/519999123613696000

China, DPR Korea, Thailand and Japan await after finishing in the top four in the last edition of the tournament. Three other qualifying groups will determine three more teams who will complete the eight-nation line-up in the tournament proper.

Australia              0

Korea Republic  1 (Im So-jeong 69')

Wednesday, 8 October 2014

Stadium Hang Jebat, Melaka, Malaysia

Kick off: 7.30 (AEDST)

Australia: 1. Jada Mathyssen-Whyman, 3. Clare Hunt, 4. Ellie Carpenter, 5. Aimee Medwin, 6. Kobie Ferguson, 7. Princess Ibini-Isei, 8. Adriana Taranto (20. Grace Maher 73'), 10. Alexandra Chidiac, 11. Melina Ayres (9. Ashlee Brodigan 63'), 16. Melissa Taranto, 19. Panagiota Petratos (14. Joey Cartwright 79')

Full 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

Other Fixtures

Australia   6 (A Taranto 6', Petratos 13'/35', Ayres 24'/26', Maher 90') - 0 Vietnam

Australia  10 (Cartwright 8’/86’, Bourke 16’, Brodigan 52’/55’/83’/84', Ammendolia 46’/67’/90+3') - 0 Hong Kong