Socceroos qualify for East Asian Cup

Australia qualified for the 2013 East Asian Cup on goal difference after hammering Chinese Taipei 8-0 in Hong Kong on Sunday night.

The Socceroos needed a win by five goals in their last match to make sure of qualification to the event in Korea Republic after DPR Korea beat Hong Kong 4-0 in the earlier match.

Australia did not have to wait too long to take the lead which came after 10 minutes when striker Richard Garcia headed in a cross from Aziz Behich.

The Soccceroos doubled their lead seven minutes later when Robert Cornthwaite slotted the ball home after a shot by Scott Jamieson was saved.

Two minutes later it was 3-0 when Adam Taggart picked up a pass from Michael Thwaite and found the net with an angled shot.

It was one-way traffic and Taggart scored again on the half hour with a header after being served by Jamieson.

Behich made it five soon afterwards with a header from a Brett Emerton cross.

Any thoughts of an Aussie go-slow in the second half were erased when playmaker Aaron Mooy found the net with a glorious free-kick.

Very soon it was seven when Garcia put Behich through and the midfielder slotted the ball home with ease.

An own goal completed the Socceroos' scoring.

Emerton was later named man of the tournament while Archie Thompson, who came on as a substitute for Garcia, was declared top scorer.

Australia will face Japan, Korea Republic and China in the finals in Juky.

Australia line-up (4-4-2): Mat Ryan; Ivan Franjic, Robert Cornthwaite, Dino Djulbic, Scott Jamieson: Brett Emerton, Aaron Mooy, Michael Thwaite, Aziz Behich (Terry Antonis 74); Richard Garcia (Archie Thompson 56), Adam Taggart (Matt McKay 66).