Australia tops group

COFFS HARBOUR, APRIL 16. Australia thrashed Samoa 11-0 today to finish on top of their Oceania World Cup qualifying group with a clean sheet and a total of 66 goals from four games.

Aurelio Vidmar, David Zdrilic, Tony Popovic and Archie Thompson all scored two goals each while Hayden Foxe and Scott Chipperfield netted one apiece. Australia's other was an own goal by Samoan defender Philipo Bureta.

Australia scored a world record 22 goals against Tonga then bettered its mark with a 31-0 win over American Samoa. As group winner, Australia will meet the winner of Group II, probably New Zealand, in a two-leg play-off in June. The Oceania champion will then play the fifth-placed South American team in a two-leg play- off in November for a place in the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.

- Reuters

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Section  : Sport
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