Luka Jovanovic, the rising star from Adelaide United, played a pivotal role in the Subway Young Socceroos’ emphatic 5-1 victory over Kyrgyz Republic in their opening match of the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup.
Jovanovic found the back of the net twice, while Isuzu UTE A-League alumni Musa Toure also scored two goals during a commanding Group A opener held in China on Wednesday.
The Australian side that started their first Asian Cup match featured a solid contingent from Adelaide, including Jovanovic, Panagiotis Kikianis, Fabian Talladira, and Jonny Yull, alongside Alexander Badolato from Western Sydney Wanderers and young talent Jaylan Pearman from Perth Glory. Macarthur Bulls players Frans Deli and Dean Bosnjak were also introduced as substitutes, joined by Sydney FC’s Tiago Quintal and Joshua Inserra from Melbourne Victory.
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After scoring four goals for Adelaide this season, Jovanovic demonstrated his finishing ability by giving Australia an early lead in the fifth minute.
Exhibiting his power, agility, and poise in front of goal, the 19-year-old finished a rapid counter-attack, which was then followed in the 15th minute by a goal from former Perth Glory talent Daniel Bennie, who currently plays for QPR in the EFL Championship, extending the lead to 2-0.
Adelaide’s own Toure, who has since rejoined his brother and Socceroo Mo, along with Paul Izzo and Oliver Jones, at Randers in Denmark, got on the scoresheet ten minutes later.
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Toure netted his second just after the half-hour mark, finishing off a well-coordinated play. Despite substitutions at the break, Jovanovic picked up where he left off, scoring again in the 61st minute.
Kyrgyz Republic did manage to score from a penalty in the 73rd minute, but it was merely a consolation as the Young Socceroos now set their sights on their upcoming match against Qatar on Saturday.
The 42nd edition of the AFC U20 Asian Cup will feature 16 of the confederation’s best under-20 teams, divided into four groups competing in a single round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the knockout stages.
This tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, with the top four teams earning the chance to compete in the global showcase.
Featured image: AFC
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