The Socceroos plundered a bag full of goals in Kaohsiung on Tuesday evening with its 7-1 win over Chinese Taipei making it three wins from three starts to its 2022 World Cup Qualifying campaign.

Following on from the five goal haul against Nepal at home last week, it took its tally of goals scored in the campaign, to 15 goals in three matches, more than any of the AFC’s 40 nations involved in World Cup qualifiers.

In the first match against Kuwait, it was Matthew Leckie who was the multiple goalscorer, but in the most recent two matches, central strikers Jamie MacLaren and Adam Taggart got amongst the goals as did Jackson Irvine, and debutante central defender Harry Souttar.

After calling on his team to be more ruthless in front of goals and to convert their dominance in possession and chances created, Socceroos coach Graham Arnold was pleased with the improvement in the team’s offensive play.

“I was very pleased with the energy. I thought it was an improvement on the Nepal game where we weren’t ruthless enough. It shows that the work that we’ve done on our attacking patterns, on the attacking side of things, is gelling together well,” Arnold said, commenting after Tuesday night’s game in Kaohsiung.

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“It’s great to see Taggart and Jamie (MacLaren) scoring and the chances that we’re creating. The movement is getting better and better with each camp. That’s the important thing. I did a review of my first year in charge and that’s the only thing that’s been missing. Our build-up has been good, our defence, our pressing has been good. But it’s been the last part of the pitch where – and it’s always the hardest at national team level – you’ve got 23 players that come in and play at different clubs, playing under different coaches and play in different ways. Last two camps, we’ve worked very, very hard on our attacking patterns, our combination play, and you can see it coming together.”

Arnold rotated his squad in the match against Chinese Taipei, starting with a different front three to that which started against Nepal. Adam Taggart started up front and his early brace, followed by a Jackson Irvine brace put the Socceroos in the driver’s seat by half time. All four of Australia’s first half goals came from assists from down the flanks, either from the winger Awer Mabil who started in place of an injured Matt Leckie, or from the full backs Ryan Grant and left back Brad Smith.

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In the second half, Dutch based winger Ajden Hrustic made an impact off the bench when he came on for Borrello and provided three assists for goals to Harry Souttar (brace) and fellow sub Jamie MacLaren. A former Heatherton United and South Melbourne youth player, Hrustic has done his cause no harm with his confident displays off the bench in the Socceroos last two games. The same can be said about the six foot five inch centre back Harry Souttar. Few centre backs can boast of scoring three goals in their first two international matches before they’ve turned 21. Scottish born Souttar, who has an Australian mother, literally adds another dimension to the team’s attack at set pieces. As Arnold commented, “Having Harry is great. Scoring goals at set plays can break open games.”

The Socceroos next qualifier is away to second placed Jordan on the 15th of next month.