The Young Socceroos, which included local junior Gianluca Iannucci, have been crowned the best under-18s side in South-East Asia after taking out the AFF Under-18 Championship on Monday night. Iannucci started his first match for Australia in the side’s penultimate group stage match against Malaysia.
The game did not go to plan for Australia with the side three goals down at half-time with Iannucci being subbed off.
The Young Socceroos were unable to turn the match around with the score remaining 3-0. Australia needed to win in its final group game against Singapore to guarantee progression through to the knockout stage.
The side put the Lions to the sword in the first half with Fabian Monge opening the scoring, before Dylan Ruiz-Diaz notched a brace. Iannucci came into the game after half-time and looked lively.
In the 72nd minute, the Cobram junior notched his first international goal in superb fashion with the curled effort into the top right corner from the edge of the box. The impressive cameo could not edge Iannucci back into the starting 11 for Australia’s semi-final against Myanmar.
La Min Htwe gave Myanmar a half-time lead, however, Lachlan Brook and captain Kai Trewin turned the match around to win 2-1. Iannucci was also an unused substitute in the final with Australia once again facing off against Malaysia.
It was a tight tussle but the Young Socceroos managed to edge proceedings with Adelaide United’s Lachlan Brook scoring off a dink in the 79th minute. Iannucci now returns to Melbourne City where the youth side has three matches remaining in the National Premier League 2 season.
The next Young Socceroos squad will be selected in late October for three AFC Under-19 Championship Qualification matches in Taiwan.