Taylor Tombides will fly the flag for Tony Carr's Academy at the 2012 AFC U-16 Championship in Iran after scoring nine goals in five matches to help Australia qualify.
The 15-year-old striker struck the first and last goals of a decisive 5-2 defeat of Indonesia in Bangkok to earn the Joeys their Asian finals spot in second place behind tournament hosts Thailand. In an earlier group game, Tombides memorably struck five goals off the bench in 40 second-half minutes in a 10-0 defeat of Guam.
Tombides, young brother of Dylan, has just broken into Carr's U18 set-up, making his first start a week ago in a 3-0 defeat of Crystal Palace after substitute appearances in the previous two Academy fixtures.
The 2012 AFC U-16 Championship in Iran will serve as the qualifying event for the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup which will be held in the United Arab Emirates in October/November that year.