AUSTRALIA needed just over half an hour to secure its East Asian Cup berth with an 8-0 demolition of lowly Taiwan at Hong Kong Stadium last night.
The top-placed Socceroos will now join Japan, China and hosts South Korea in the showpiece next July.
Adam Taggart, Richard Garcia and Aziz Behich all scored their maiden international goals with Robert Cornthwaite and Aaron Mooy rounding out the scoring for the experimental Socceroos side.
Rookies Taggart and Behich both netted a brace while Taiwan made a gift of Australia's eighth with an own goal.
With North Korea beating host Hong Kong 4-0 in last night's earlier match, Australia knew it needed at least five goals against world No 176 side Taiwan to better the Koreans' goal difference of plus 14.
It didn't take long for Australia to get off the mark. Melbourne Heart striker Garcia scored in the 11th minute courtesy of superb lead-up work by Behich. Scott Jamieson forced a save from Taiwan goalkeeper Lu Kun Chi moments later with the rebound falling to Cornthwaite who made no mistake.
Newcastle's teen striker Taggart took advantage of the lacklustre defence to easily score in the 19th minute and put Australia up 3-0. Taggart found the back of the net again soon after, getting on the end of a Jamieson ball for a 4-0 lead.
Behich secured Australia's East Asian Cup berth with a header in the 33rd minute for 5-0.
Mooy continued the assault right after the break, scoring with a superb free kick - which is quickly becoming his specialty - for the 6-0 advantage.
Archie Thompson, who replaced Garcia in the 57th minute, twice went close to equalling Damian Mori's all-time highest goal-scoring record for Australia, stinging the palms of keeper Lu and denied by the woodwork moments later.
Adding insult to injury, Taiwan supplemented Australia's massive goal haul with an own goal 10 minutes before time.
AAP
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