Match Report
The Subway Socceroos turned on the style to get their 2026 World Cup Qualifying campaign underway on Thursday night with a confident 7-0 win against Bangladesh at AAMI Park.
A Mitchell Duke brace alongside goals to Harry Souttar and Brandon Borrello had the side 4-0 up at halftime.
Jamie Maclaren came off the bench to score a hat-trick in the second half to add further gloss to Graham Arnold’s men’s display.
Australia took just four minutes to snatch the lead with Craig Goodwin’s out-swinging free-kick from the left finding Souttar, who guided a header into the top left corner.
The Socceroos remained patient and added a well-worked second 20 minutes in. Some purposeful build-up on the right saw Connor Metcalfe race in behind and slide the ball across to Borrello - the forward steering it into the vacant net.
Borrello should have had a brace seven minutes later when another left-sided curling Goodwin delivery found the Western Sydney Wanderer, but he nodded it straight at Mitul Marma.
The chances kept coming for Australia as Goodwin’s crosses continued to create danger for Bangladesh.
In the 33rd minute, his right-sided corner met Baccus, but the midfielder headed it just over the bar.
Australia had their third four minutes later when Duke converted Metcalfe’s cross from the right with a looping header at the near post that nestled in the far side of the goal.
Duke scored again three minutes after that, rolling the rebound inside the right post following Borrello’s stinging volley that came off the woodwork.
