TIMOR LESTE QUALIFY FOR 2010 AFC U16 CHAMPIONSHIP

DILI (2 Oct 2009) – Timor Leste qualified for the main draw of the AFC Under-16 Championship next year when they beat Guam 3-0 in their final game of the Group F qualifiers this week at the NTFC Stadium in Beijing.

The Timorese qualified for the 2010 AFC U16 Championship alongside group winner China who beat Singapore 7-0 in their final group game.

Both teams collected 13 points from five matches to qualify for next year’s finals with China finishing at the top of the group due to their better goal difference.

East Timor, who had held China to a scoreless draw in their first game of the qualifiers, beat Hong Kong 3-0 in their second match and then notched another 3-0 victory over Singapore in their third match.

Their fourth group match against Macau saw them walking away with a breathtaking 13-0 scoreline before their final win over Guam.

Against Guam, Timor Leste took a 1-0 lead at the half through Efrem Jeronimo’s effort just five minutes before the break.

Jose Da Fonseca (56th minute) and Nidio Alves (57th) then added two more goals in a two-minute blitz to ensure their qualification.