Source: Page Authors and Daily Newspapers

World Cup Qualifiers
Sunday November 21 1965 Stade Olympique, Phnom-Penh, Cambodia Referee: Patrick Nice (Malaysia) Linesmen: Sun Luk Tat (Hong Kong) and Gregory Anthony de Silva (Singapore) Attendance: 60,000
North Korea Ri Chan-Myung, Pak Ri-Sob, Shin Yong-Kyu, Kang Bong-Chil, Rim Jung-Sun, Im Song-Hwi, Han Bong-Jin, Pak Du-Ik, Pak Sung-Jin (c), Kang Byong-Un, Kim Song-II Coach: Myomg Rye-Hyon Goals: Pak Du-Ik 15, Pak Sung-Jin 54, 80, Im Song-Hwi 58, Han Bong-Jin 65, 88	6	-	1	AUSTRALIA John Roberts, Nigel Shepherd, Stan Ackerley, Pat Hughes, Billy Rice, Les Scheinflug (c), Geoff Sleight, John Anderson, Archie Blue, John Watkiss, Dave Todd Coach: Tiko Jelisavcic Goal: Scheinflug 70 pen
Australias first attempt to qualify for the World Cup finals was in 1965. Drawn to play against North Korea in a two legged series the winner was to take the 16th qualifying position in England the following year. The two match series was played in neutral Cambodia front of a large and vocal crowd. Australia grossly underestimated their relatively unknown opponent and in the heat and humidity of Phenom-Penh they were soundly defeated.
Wednesday November 24 1965 Stade Olympique, Phnom-Penh, Cambodia Referee: A.G.De Silva (Singapore) Attendance: 55,000
North Korea Ri Chan-Myong, Pak Ri-Sob, Shin Yong-Kyu, Kang Bong-Chil, Rim Jung-Son, Im Song-Hwi, Han Bong-Jin, Kim Yong-Gil, Pak Sung-Jin (c), Kang Byong-Un, Kim Song-Il Coach: Myog Rye-Hyon Goals: Kim Song-II 18, 75, Pak Sung-Jin 53	3	-	1	AUSTRALIA Bill Rorke, Nigel Shepherd, Billy Cook, Pat Hughes, Billy Rice, John Watkiss, Roy Blitz, John Anderson, Steve Herczeg, Les Scheinflug, Jim Pearson Coach: Tiko Jelisavcic Goal: Scheinflug 15
The second World Cup Qualifer was played just three days after the first leg. Despite the heavy first up loss Australia still had a chance of qualification with the away goals rule not yet being in vogue. With coach Tiko Jelisavcic making some changes Australia got closer but were still defeated with North Korean qualifying for the 1966 World Cup Finals in England.
Friendly Matches
Friday November 26 1965 Stade Olympique, Phnom-Penh, Cambodia Referee: Alng Kim Ean Attendance: 20,000
Cambodia Lim Sak, Tol Kim Chiv, YLeang, Yang Tramom (c), Var Sam (Huy Chamrong), Van Roeun (Pen Phat), Doeur Sokhom, Hun Savuth, Duong Duc, Neou Kandien (Chaet Bong), Kaem San Coach: Vladimir Mirka	0	-	0	AUSTRALIA Bill Rorke, Nigel Shepherd, Stan Ackerley, Pat Hughes (c) (John Anderson), John Watkiss, John Warren, Roy Blitz (Archie Blue), Hammy McMeechan, Ian Johnston, Ron Giles, Dave Todd (Geoff Sleight) Coach: Tiko Jelisavcic
Whilst in Phnom-Penh the Australian side played against the Cambodian national team after their disasterous World Cup campaign.
Monday November 29 1965 Government Stadium, Hong Kong Referee: Len Ken-Chie Attendance: 8,780
Hong Kong Mui Wing-Tat, Lok Tak-Hing, Lal Po-Chung, Lee Ping-Chung, Kung Wah-Kit, Leung Kam-Yung, Lee Kwok-Keung, Wallis, Peter McLaren, Ho Cheung-Yau, Chan Shek-Cheung Coach: Lee Ken-Chie Goal: McLaren 22	1	-	0	AUSTRALIA Bill Rorke, Nigel Shepherd, Billy Cook, Pat Hughes, Billy Rice, John Watkiss, Jim Pearson, John Anderson, Ian Johnston (Hammy McMeechan), John Warren, Dave Todd Coach: Tiko Jelisavcic
The Australian team travelled to Hong Kong where they played a match against the Hong Kong national team. This match was part of a small tournament named the Scandanavian Airlines System Cup that also included Swedish club side AIK Stockholm who incidentally won the series by beating Hong Kong 5-2.
Tuesday December 7 1965 Perak Stadium, Ipoh, Malaysia Referee: Boswell (Malaysia) Attendance: 1,250
Malaysia Teh Cheung-Lee, Yee Seng Choi (Abdullah Noordin), Foo Fook Chaun, Soo Toh Kim Poh, Mohamed Chandran (Hoo Woon Hung), Ibrahim Mydin, Balan, Richard Choe, Latiff Ibrahim, N.Thanabalan, Mazlan Hamid Coach: Otto Westpfal	0	-	1	AUSTRALIA Bill Rorke, Nigel Shepherd, Stan Ackerley, Pat Hughes, Billy Cook, John Watkiss, Roy Blitz (Hammy McMeechan), John Anderson (Ron Giles), Archie Blue, Jim Pearson, Dave Todd Coach: Tiko Jelisavcic Goal: Pearson 17
This match was a friendly played against Malaysia on Australias tour of South East Asia. A return match was played the following day.
Wednesday December 8 1965 Perak Stadium, Ipoh, Malaysia Referee: Not Recorded Attendance: 300
Malaysia Teh Cheung Lee, Soo Toh Kim Poh, Foo Fook Chaun, Abdullah Noordin, Richard Choe, Agus Salim (Yee Seng Choi), Teoh Peng Cooi, Mazlan Hamid (Ho Woon Hung), Ibrahim Mydin, N.Thanabalan (Tanagor), Latiff Ibrahim Coach: Otto Westpfal	0	-	3	AUSTRALIA Bill Rorke, Nigel Shepherd, Stan Ackerley, John Watkiss, Billy Cook, Les Scheinflug, Hammy McMeechan, John Warren, Archie Blue (Ian Johnston), Jim Pearson, Dave Todd Coach: Tiko Jelisavcic Goals: Todd 54, Johnston 65, Scheinflug 84 pen
This was the second friendly match played against Malaysia on the tour of South East Asia. The match was hastily arranged after the first match when the Malaysian team management decided that they would like to "have another crack" at the Australian side following their one nil loss in the first match. The Australian team management sportingly agreed and the match was played only 24 hours after the previous match in Ipoh.

Last updated: 19 November 2021.