Two goals scored just before half-time and full-time were enough for Brad Maloney's side who secured a 2-0 victory in their second group match of the ASEAN U16 Boys Championship in Indonesia.
Two changes were made to the side that opened the tournament with a 0-0 draw against Thailand. Jay Maltz and Malual Nichola were introduced for their first starts of the tournament providing further energy against a strong Malyasian midfield which had dominated their opening game against Timor-Leste.
A hard-fought first half was found to be short of clear chances until a long-range strike by forward Amlani Tatu broke the game open.
Finding himself at the end of a long-run toward the edge of the penalty box, Tatu attempted a 20-yard shot toward the far-top corner, executing the move perfectly, while also bringing out the backflip to celebrate.
Australia almost double it's lead with a double strike from Graoroski denied, first by the palms of the goalkeeper and then the rebound shot cleared off the line miraculously by the Malaysian defender.
Coach Maloney made multiple changes early in the second half to combat the stifling humidity of the Surakarta conditions, bringing on Kutleshi at the back while reinforcing the frontline with Williams, Slunjski, and A. Houridis brought on.
It would be the run of substitute Williams that led to the game clincher in second-half injury-time, with the forward tapping home a swift Joeys counter-attack, bringing out his own theatrical celebration in the process to try and top his teammate Tatu.
The Subway Joeys enter their last group match against Timor-Leste in a strong position with 4 points accrued from 2 matches, with the side hoping to complete their group stage on Saturday evening as winners and undefeated.
Australia: 2 (Amlani Tatu 45+5, Rhys Williams 90+4)
Malaysia: 0
Date: Wednesday 26th June 2024
Venue: Sriwedari Stadium, Surakarta, Indonesia
Subway Joeys: 1. JAI AJANOVIC (GK), 2. MALUAL NICHOLA (13. BESIAN KUTLESHI 66'), 4. JAYDEN NECOVSKI (C), 5. CHRISTIAN PULLELLA, 6. ALEX BOLTON, 9. JORDAN GRAOROSKI (7. NOAH SLUNJSKI 66'), 10. NICKOLAS ALFARO, 11. AMLANI TATU (20. ANTHONY DIDULICA 90'), 14. ALEXANDER GARBOWSKI, 19. JAY MALTZ (21. RHYS WILLIAMS 60'), 22. QUINN MACNICOL (17. ALEXANDER HOURIDIS 66')
Unused Substitutes: 12. JONTY BENFIELD (GK), 18. NOAH ELLUL (GK), 3. CHARLIE PARKIN, 8. HAINE EAMES, 15. MARCO SANTANGELO, 16. JAMES HOURIDIS, 23. DAVID BOLONGI