Memorable Australian International Matches Quiz

Answer: South Korea

Scotland-born Jimmy Mackay immortalised himself in Australian footballing folklore, when in the 70th minute he picked the ball up in midfield, took a couple of steps and then unleashed an unstoppable drive into the top left-hand corner of the South Korean goal. That made the score 1-0. Australia held on till the end to reach the World Cup Finals for the first time.

The team that was playing the day history was made: Jim Fraser, Doug Utjesenovic, Peter Wilson, Manfred Schaefer, Col Curran, Ray Richards, Jim Mackay, Jim Rooney, Atti Abonyi (Adrian Alston 56), Ray Baartz and Branko Buljevic.

Answer: East Germany 2 Australia 0

It was the then communist country of East Germany that provided Australia's first World Cup Finals hurdle. Ultimately, the match ended in disappointment but not dishonour, with the newly-nicknamed Socceroos losing 2-0. This was certainly a much closer score than the doom-sayers had envisaged, making a mockery of predictions of scorelines that were closer to double figures. Col Curran sent the East Germans on their way with a 56th minute own goal, which they added to in the 68th minute, courtesy of Joachim Streich. Australia's line-up on this momentous day was: Jack Reilly, Doug Utjesenovic, Peter Wilson, Manfred Schaefer, Col Curran, Ray Richards, Jim Mackay, Jim Rooney, John Warren, Adrian Alston & Branko Buljevic.

Four days later, Australia faced the might of West Germany, also in Hamburg, losing 3-0 to goals by Wolfgang Overath, Bernhard Cullmann and Gerd Mueller. Mueller later scored the winner in the Final as West Germany defeated Johan Cruyff's Netherlands 2-1. Australia's final match was on 22nd June in Berlin, against Chile. In the pouring rain, the match finished in a goalless draw. Australia finished the tournament with one point, no goals and bottom of their group. But the seeds had been sown. But boy, did it take a long time for them to grow!

Answer: Australia v Argentina 4-1

The score was 4-1, against the world chmapions! World Cup winners two years earlier? Maybe so, but it meant nothing in Sydney. In arguably the greatest moment in Socceroo history to that point (excluding the 1974 World Cup), Australia thumped four past the shell-shocked Argentines. Goals were scored by Paul Wade, Vlado Bozinoski and Charlie Yankos, who got two. Yankos' first goal was a rocket of a free kick that must have been at least 35 metres from goal. Argentina's goal was scored by Oscar Ruggeri, but he could have had a hat-trick for all Australia cared! We had four against the World Cup holders!

The Aussie teamsheet that famous night read: Jeff Olver, Charlie Yankos, Robbie Dunn, Wally Savor, Graham Jennings, Alan Davidson, Paul Wade, Vlado Bozinoski, Frank Farina, Graham Arnold and Scott Ollerenshaw. For the record, Brazil defeated Australia 2-0 in the Final.

Answer: All of these disasters occurred

Three minutes after half-time Aurelio Vidmar scored to put Australia two goals to the good, building upon Harry Kewell's goal from the first half. In the pandemonium that was, most of the stadium (the attendance of 85,022 established a new record attendance for a football match in Australia) thinking we were dead-set certanties to stroll to the World Cup Finals, a serial psycho named Peter Hore ran onto the pitch and partially tore down one of the goal nets. There ensued a five minute delay as the boys in blue 'removed' the offender and the nets were re-attached. This is the crucial part. It is not Peter Hore's "fault" that Australia then conceded two goals, and drew the match, consequently being eliminated on the away goals rule. It is the team's fault, the coach's fault. Noticeable during the television coverage during the delay was Terry Venables sitting on the bench looking non-plussed whilst his players sat on their backsides on the field. In the realm of professional football this was inexcusable. Iran, on the other hand, had formed groups of three and four players and were staying focussed by passing the ball around.

To this day, I cannot comprehend why Venables did not drum some discipline into his team in that regard. Similarly, it is difficult to understand the attitude of the players, and why that discipline was absent. Fate then cruelly intervened. Iran pulled a goal back that was clearly offside in the build-up, and then the Aussie goalkeeper Mark Bosnich (brilliant one day, crap the next) played a short goalkick which eventually got turned over to the Iranians who gleefully equalised. Now, Australia HAD to score. And we did not. In the end, we only had our stupidity to blame. Defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory.

We had missed a boatload of chances to wrap the game up in the first ten minutes, it literally could have been 4-0 early in the game. What's done is done. If I ever see Venables, I want to punch him on the nose! Australia's team on that ill-fated night: Mark Bosnich, Craig Moore (Graham Arnold 78), Steve Horvat, Alex Tobin (c), Stan Lazaridis, Robbie Slater (Tony Vidmar 76), Ned Zelic, Aurelio Vidmar (Ernie Tapai 76), Craig Foster, Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka.

Post script - In regard to Peter Hore, the serial pest that ripped the net down, the following is a direct quote from Paul Marcuccitti, who wrote for "Planet World Cup" following the match: "Later it emerged that the man was Peter Hore, Australia's best known attention seeker. Just a few weeks earlier, Hore had run onto Flemington racetrack during the closing stages of Australia's biggest horse race, the Melbourne Cup. Most famously, he had disrupted the funeral of Michael Hutchence, the former lead singer of Australian pop group INXS. Hore had tried to jump from the choir loft before being restrained. I wouldn't wish death or severe injury on anyone but, in my darker moments after the Iran match, I wondered whether the mourners who restrained Hore unwittingly provided a disservice to the nation".

Answer: Yes

In the South Korean city of Ulsan, on 11th June 2001, Australia pulled off an unlikely victory against a Brazilian side that were hardly at their best. However, a win's a win! Six minutes from the end, Shaun Murphy scored with a diving header. Apart from family and friends, this may be the only thing Shaun Murphy is ever remembered for! Nonetheless, the name's in the record books! Australia's team for that Confederations Cup match: Mark Schwarzer, Tony Vidmar (c), Tony Popovic, Josip Skoko (Marco Bresciano 71), Stan Lazaridis, David Zdrilic, Shaun Murphy, Steve Horvat, Steve Corica (Mile Sterjovski 61), Scott Chipperfield and Clayton Zane.

Answer: Montevideo, Uruguay

What a lovely experience it was for Frank Farina and his players at Montevideo Airport as they ran the gauntlet of Uruguayan 'supporters', being spat on and jostled as they tried to board the coach. The supporters were ably backed up by the less than zealous efforts of the local police force, who ensured that the distance between the two countries' representatives were kept to an absolute minimum. That somewhat predictable incident dispensed with, it was down to business at the Estadio Centenario. Oops! Australia forgot take along any tactics to defend their 1-0 lead. They attacked from the outset, surely a noble approach in the modern age of negative football tactics. However, when you are 1-0 up away from home and all you need is a draw to make the World Cup Finals, and you know you are playing in front of a Latin American crowd that would quickly become impatient if no goals were being scored. What should you do? You should put eleven men behind the ball, and frustrate the opposition. So much for that idea.

Australia played open, attacking (and naive) football and within fourteen minutes were behind to a Dario Silva goal. From there it was simply a matter of time, and two further goals from the substitute Richard Morales sealed Uruguay's passage to Asia. Australia's team for a game (and a trip) best forgotten was: Mark Schwarzer, Kevin Muscat (Paul Agostino 73), Shaun Murphy (John Aloisi 81), Craig Moore, Tony Vidmar, Brett Emerton, Paul Okon (c), Josip Skoko, Stan Lazaridis, Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell. As fate would have it, Australia would get a repeat chance at Uruguay four years later, at the exact same stage of the tournament.

Answer: Australia won 3-1

For any long-suffering Australian football fan, there were two aims in life: (1) find a way to stop the persistent last-hurdle failures in regard to World Cup qualification; and (2) beat England one day. At last, one of those goals had been realised, and what a way to do it, beating them on their own patch. Oh, if only, if only it could have been at Wembley. Again, where does one start? Did Australia deserve to win or did England throw it away? The answer is yes to both questions.

Let's start with England. From the outset, it was clear that they did not think this match was going to be a problem. Their Manager, Sven Goran Eriksson, bowed to club pressure and promised to play any given player for no more than one half. Bookmakers were offering odds of 7-1 for an Australian victory. You would think, with the last few decades of sporting history between the two nations (yes, we still remember Bodyline), that England would have known better than to take the end result for granted. Sven stuck to his word and substituted the entire team at half time, when they were already 2-0 down. Admirable, but ill-advised. In a show of just how much it all meant to him, England Captain David Beckham spent the second half in the stand, arm in arm with his wife, Posh, rather than be with his team-mates.

Australia went on to win 3-1, with goals from Tony Popovic, Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton. England scored through Francis Jeffers (Who? I hear you say) but no Aussie cared. I imagine the reaction in England was similar to their loss in the 1950 World Cup to the U.S.A. I'm sure Fleet Street had a field day. Australia's team the day they drove a stake fairly into the heart of St. George: Mark Schwarzer, Tony Popovic (Tony Vidmar 70), Stan Lazaridis, Craig Moore, Scott Chipperfield (Vince Grella 76), Paul Okon (Kevin Muscat 87), Josip Skoko (Marco Bresciano 46), Brett Emerton, Lucas Neill, Harry Kewell (John Aloisi 55) and Mark Viduka (Mile Sterjovski 85). To top the whole thing off, the Australian media carried a picture of an Australian fan in the crowd at Upton Park, holding a Green and Gold sign that read, "If we win, you suck at everything".

Answer: Australia 1 Uruguay 0 after extra time, Australia win on penalties

This was Australia's best chance to qualify for the first World Cup finals since 1974, with the exception of the Iran debacle, eight years earlier. Australia and Uruguay battled each other end to end, the sky blues of Uruguay being surprisingly attack-minded, given they already had the advantage of the first leg lead. In truth, Uruguay had the better of the early chances as the Socceroos looked nervous. Then, in the 35th minute, relief! Harry Kewell had been introduced as a substitute three minutes earlier. Tim Cahill won the ball, fed it to Mark Viduka, who backheeled the ball to Kewell. Kewell attempted a shot which was woefully mis-hit. The populous collectively started to groan, not realising this had put the ball perfectly into the path of Marco Bresciano, who lashed the ball into the top of the Uruguayan net. 1-0 to Australia!

Both sides had chances to win the tie prior to the end of normal, and then extra, time, but to no avail. This meant the lottery of penalty kicks. Australia got the first kick. The kicks went in the following pattern:
Australia: Harry Kewell - scored. Australia 1 Uruguay 0 (Uruguay have one kick in hand).
Uruguay: Dario Rodriguez - saved by Mark Schwarzer. Australia 1 Uruguay 0 (Kicks level).
Australia: Lucas Neill - scored. Australia 2 Uruguay 0 (Uruguay have one kick in hand).
Uruguay: Gustavo Varela - scored. Australia 2 Uruguay 1 (penalty kicks level)
Australia: Tony Vidmar - scored. Australia 3 Uruguay 1 (Uruguay have one kick in hand)
Uruguay: Fabian Estoyanoff - scored. Australia 3 Uruguay 2 (kicks level)
Australia: Mark Viduka - miss. Australia 3 Uruguay 2 (Uruguay have one kick in hand)
Uruguay: Marcelo Zalayeta - saved by Mark Schwarzer. Australia 3 Uruguay 2 (kicks level)

At this stage both sides had taken four of their five kicks. This put Australia in the position of having their World Cup destiny solely in their own control. The fifth player to kick for Australia was John Aloisi.

Australia: John Aloisi - scored. Australia 4 Uruguay 2 (Uruguay have one kick in hand - not taken as they could not catch up).

The Uruguayan goalkeeper, Fabian Carini, guessed correctly and dived to his left. Aloisi had kept his nerve and struck the ball at mid height powerfully into the netting in the side of the goal. At that moment 82,698 fans went beserk, along with several million watching from their lounge rooms. Aloisi ripped his shirt off and ran around the stadium twirling it around above his head, whilst his teammates tried to catch him. After 32 years of qualification nightmares, disasters and sheer incompetence, the monkey was lifted! Australia's heroes on this memorable night were: Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill, Scott Chipperfield, Tim Cahill, Tony Vidmar, Tony Popovic (Harry Kewell 31), Brett Emerton (Josip Skoko 110), Mark Viduka, Vince Grella, Jason Culina and Marco Bresciano (John Aloisi 96).

Answer: Tim Cahill

Everton's Tim Cahill was the hero of the day. Australia had been trailing since the 26th minute to a soft Shunsuke Nakamura goal. Cahill had replaced Marco Bresciano early in the second half, but the Socceroos were yet again getting that sinking feeling in their stomachs when, with just seven minutes of normal time remaining, they still trailed. Following a goalmouth scramble in the 84th minute, Cahill managed to stab the ball between a number of sets of legs to equalise. In the 89th minute he completed his transition from bench warmer to hero to Demi-God when he picked up the ball in midfield and moved menacingly forward towards the goal. None of the opposition seemed prepared to challenge him, so after setting himself, he unleashed a right foot drive which beat the outstretched hands of Japanese goalie Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, hit the left hand post, ricocheted against the right hand post, and ended up in the net. 2-1! In the final minute of the match, John Aloisi scored a third to seal a famous victory.

Australia had scored their first goals and secured three vital points in a group with contained upcoming matches against Brazil and Croatia. History makers!: Mark Schwarzer, Craig Moore (Joshua Kennedy 61), Lucas Neill, Luke Wilkshire (John Aloisi 75), Marco Bresciano (Tim Cahill 53), Brett Emerton, Scott Chipperfield, Vince Grella, Jason Culina, Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka.

For the record, Australia lost their second group match 2-0 to Brazil, despite having an equal share of the play. Defensive lapses cost the Socceroos dearly in that match. That left Australia needing a draw against Croatia to qualify for the round of 16. The Aussies drew 2-2, Harry Kewell's 79th minute volley restoring the balance in a match where Australia had trailed twice. Craig Moore had earlier scored with a 38th minute penalty. This match was notable for the bizarre refereeing performance of Graham Poll. In the 5th minute, with Australia already a goal down, Josip Simunic rugby tackled Mark Viduka in the penalty area. Even the Croatians looked surprised when Poll did nothing about it. Surprised was not an appropriate word to describe the Aussies' feelings. Josip Simunic picked up his third booking of the night in the 90th minute before Poll realised his error in not having sent him off a few minutes earlier. Given that Simunic was the rugby tackler 85 minutes earlier, his game could have (and should have) been somewhat shorter. What Poll's two Assistants were doing in not telling him of his error not to dismiss Simunic upon receiving his second yellow can only be wondered at.

Answer: Italy

So near but yet so far! The Socceroos had well and truly silenced the doubters by getting past the group stage and matched it all the way with Italy in this match. In the end, despite having the advantage of playing the last 40 minutes of the match after Marco Materazzi (remember him, he took the backwards swan dive in the final after Zinedine Zidane didn't like what he had to say) was sent off, Australia could not break down the Italian defence. As the end of normal time approached, the obvious approach was to hold out for extra time, as the Azzurri would be suffering physically from playing with a reduced side. Socceroo coach Guus Hiddink had used just one substitute with this in mind. Italy had used all of their replacements. To quote Journalist Trent Dickerson: "But with 2 minutes and 40 seconds of that allotted time passed Lucas Neill seemed to lie down in front of Fabio Grosso to effect a tackle. Grosso played the ball around Neill then proceed to run straight at the Australian's body ensuring that he clipped him as he did. Neill remained unmoved and made no movement towards the player. But that was enough for the Spanish referee not wanting to go into extra time in the warm conditions and Italy were awarded a penalty kick." They got to where no Australian team had been before: Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill, Craig Moore, Tim Cahill, Jason Culina, Mark Viduka, Vince Grella, Scott Chipperfield, Luke Wilkshire, Mile Sterjovski (John Aloisi 81) and Marco Bresciano.

As I sat watching in my living room in Australia that morning as the sun was just starting to light the day, a calm feeling of resignation washed over me. The luck had run out. A team that had given me so much false hope and heartache since those days in 1974, when I watched my parents' black and white television as a 12 year old, had finally delivered on its potential. They had done me proud. They had done their country proud. Francesco Totti scored from the penalty. I admired the skill with which the kick was taken. I silently cursed Grosso, gamesmanship and Luis Medina Cantalejo, the referee. I got dressed and caught the train to work. I was disappointed, but content. It's a strange combination.