Australia has beaten Tonga, and in the process notched up a new FIFA World Record scoreline, while striker Damian Mori has taken over the lead of Australia's goalscoring chart in "A" Internationals, after tonight's second round matches of the Oceania Group 1 World Cup Qualifiers, in Coffs Harbour.
The LG Socceroos notched up 22 goals for, and none against in the goal rampage, setting new standards for both World Cup Qualifiers and senior games, overall - previously, the best World Cup Qualifier scoreline was 19-0, set last year when Iran beat Guam, while the previous highest score in a senior game was a 20-0 scoreline by Kuwait over Bhutan in an Asia Cup match.
Meantime Mori's four goal haul has seen him surpass both John Kosmina and Attila Abonyi on Australia's leading goal-scorer chart, the Perth Glory striker now sitting on 26 "A" international goals, from just 39 "A" International games.
It was however midfielder Scott Chipperfield who showed a sign of things to come when he netted Australia's first in the third minute of the game, with Mori putting his first on the board 9 minutes later.
Striker John Aloisi walked away from the game with a six-goal haul, the first of his coming in the 14th minute, while captain Kevin Muscat scored a penalty hat-trick, the first of those taken in the 17th minute.
Aloisi and Mori both went on to rack-up hat-tricks before half-time, while Muscat put away another penalty, as the LG Socceroos took a 10-0 lead into the break.
Aloisi picked up his fifth in the 56th minute, Muscat successfully converted his third penalty three minutes later, Mori headed to the top of the Australian charts in the 57th minute, while it was back to Aloisi in the 63rd for his sixth and final goal of the night.
The defenders then pitched in with a goal apiece, Tony Popovic in the 65th minute and Tony Vidmar in the 73rd, before second half replacement strikers David Zdrilic and Archie Thompson both made their marks, scoring in the 77th and 78th minutes respectively.
Muscat picked up his fourth - this one from free play - in the 83rd, Chipperfield recorded his second of the night a minute later, Con Boutsianis celebrated his first cap with a goal in the 85th, and Zdrilic wrapped the night up with a goal right on full time.
"With due respect to the Tongans, you saw right from the start they had ten players in their defensive third and that's normal, I suppose Gary (Phillips, Tongan Coach) was trying to make sure they weren't embarrassed, or to keep the score down, but that's what we've been working on, we have to break teams down that are going to drop back." said coach Frank Farina after the game.
"The bottom line was we had to maintain our professionalism, the whole purpose is to qualify for the World Cup, and it's just another three points, regardless of the amount of goals." added captain Kevin Muscat.