Sources: Soccer Action and Australian Soccer Weekly.

World Cup Qualifiers
Saturday April 25 1981 Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand Referee: Gianfranco Menegali (Italy) Attendance: 10,000
New Zealand Richard Wilson, John Hill, Richard Herbert, Robert Almond, Glen Dods, Duncan Cole, Steve Sumner, Keith McKay (Adrian Elrick 70), Grant Turner, Brian Turner (Clive Campbell 57), Steve Wooddin Coach: John Adshead Cautions: Nil Goals: G.Turner 24, Wooddin 34, Sumner 80	3	-	3	AUSTRALIA Alan Maher, Alan Davidson, Tony Henderson, Steve Blair, Steve Perry (John Yzendoorn 83), Eddie Krncevic, Billy Rogers, Murray Barnes, Ken Boden (Sebastian Giampaolo 68), John Kosmina, Peter Sharne Coach: Rudi Gutendorf Cautions: Davidson, Henderson Goals: Krncevic 15, 42, Boden 31
Australias path to the 1982 World Cup finals was via the Oceania qualifying group - the group consisting of New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan and Fiji. The winner of the group would go onto the next stage of qualification and most likely a play-off with an Asian opponent.
Saturday May 16 1981 Sydney Cricket Ground, Moore Park, Sydney, Australia Referee: George Courtney (England) Assistant Referees: Au Chi Ching (Indonesia) and Vitor Garcia-Olivera (Portugal) Attendance: 15,000
AUSTRALIA Greg Woodhouse, Alan Davidson, John Yzendoorn, Steve Henderson, Steve Blair, Jim Tansey, Billy Rogers (Gary Cole 46), Murray Barnes, Eddie Krncevic (Ken Boden 64), Mark Jankovics, Peter Sharne Coach: Rudi Gutendorf	0	-	2	New Zealand Richard Wilson, John Hill, Richard Herbert, Robert Almond, Glen Dods, Duncan Cole, Steve Sumner, Keith McKay (Samuel Malcolmson 84), Grant Turner, Brian Turner (Clive Campbell 85), Steve Wooddin Coach: John Adshead Goals: Wooddin 29, G.Turner 81
One of the blackest days in Australian soccer with the Socceroos beaten 2-0 at home - the result effectively ending their World Cup aspirations. Coach Rudi Gutendorf resigning in the wake of the loss.
Wednesday May 20 1981 Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia Referee: Vitor Garcia-Olivera (Portugal) Assistant Referees: Au Chi Shing (Indonesia) and George Courtney (England) Attendance: 10,000
AUSTRALIA Alan Maher, Steve Perry (Peter Katholos 76), Steve Blair, John Yzendoorn, Jim Tansey, Murray Barnes (c), Tony Henderson, Alan Davidson, Peter Sharne, Gary Cole, John Kosmina Coach: Les Scheinflug Goals: Kosmina 29, Davidson 33	2	-	0	Indonesia Poerwono, Simson Rumahpasal, Didik Dharmadi, Dharmadi Suharno, Ronny Hermanus Pattinasarany (c), Subangkit, Christian Wakano, Bambang Nurdiansyah, Zulham Effendy Harshap, Rully Rudolf Nere (Metu Duaramuri 71), Berti Tutuarima (Wahyu Budhi Tonato 46) Coach: Harry Tjong
Wednesday June 10 1981 Hindmarsh Stadium, Hindmarsh, Adelaide, Australia Referee: Vijit Getkaew (Thailand) Assistant Referees: Vichai Charupont and Nobnom Ausuxont (Thailand) Attendance: 4,651
AUSTRALIA Alan Maher, Robert Wheatley, Steve Blair, Tony Henderson, Alan Davidson, Gary Byrne, Peter Katholos, Murray Barnes (c), Eddie Krncevic, John Kosmina, David Mitchell Coach: Les Scheinflug Cautions: Nil Goals: Henderson 18, Kosmina 57, Byrne 68 pen	3	-	2	Taiwan Chin-Wang Lin (Chin-Wang Lin 26), Chie-Hsang Hau, Ing-ren Chen, Chang Sing, Dang-Shang Duh, Tson-Fu Chow, Chien-Wu Jong (Huey-Shyong Chang 66), Jaih-Tson Lo, Jausim Wu, Kuo-Chi Chang (c), Deng-Chyan Duh Coach: Herbert Stammler Caution: Kuo-Chi Goals: Deng-Chyan 82, 90
Sunday July 26 1981 National Stadium, Suva, Fiji Referee: Tony Boskovic (Australia) Attendance: 8,000
Fiji Akuila Nataro Ravono, Jone Nakosia, Abraham Watkins, Inosi Tora, Upendra Choy, Mohammed Saleem, Anand Sami (Feroz Kahn 37), Meli Vullabasa, Abdul Manaan, John Williams, Jone Ratu Coach: Wally Hughes Cautions: Nil Goal: Manaan 83	1	-	4	AUSTRALIA Alan Maher, Alan Davidson (Robert Wheatley 78), Alan Niven, Tony Henderson, Steve Blair, Gary Byrne, Murray Barnes, Peter Katholos, Peter Sharne, Gary Cole, David Mitchell Coach: Les Scheinflug Caution: Mitchell 58 Goals: Cole 4, 31, Barnes 10, Sharne 28
Friday August 14 1981 Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia Referee: Ausukong Nobnom (Thailand) Assistant Referees: Vijit Getkaen and Charupont (Thailand) Attendance: 3,500
AUSTRALIA Martyn Crook, Alan Davidson, Steve Blair, Tony Henderson, Alan Niven, Murray Barnes (c), Gary Byrne, Peter Katholos, Peter Sharne, Gary Cole, David Mitchell Coach: Les Scheinflug Goals: Mitchell 28, 43, 80, Cole 37, 43, 54, 63, 70, 71 pen, 76	10	-	0	Fiji Akuila Nataro Ravono, Jone Nakosia, Abraham Watkins, Upendra Choy, Stan Morrell (Mohamed Salim 46) , Abdul Manaan, Anand Sami, Meli Vullabasa, John Williams, Jone Ratu, Inosi Tora Coach: Wally Hughes
The ten goal rout of Fiji marked the final Socceroo appearance of Murray Barnes.
Sunday August 30 1981 Suribaya, Indonesia Referee: Reynaldo Reyes (Philippines) Attendance: 25,000
Indonesia Poerwono, Simson Rumahpasal, Didik Darmadi, Hamid Asnan (Nasir Salassa 70), Herry Kiswanto, Riono Asnan, Hadi Ismanto, Abdul Rachman, Rully Rudolf Nere, Risdianto, Stefanus Daniel Sirey (Dede Sulaeman 46) Coach: Endang Witarsa Goal: Risdianto 88	1	-	0	AUSTRALIA Glen Ahearn, Robert Wheatley, Oscar Crino, Steve Blair, Brett Woods, Jimmy Patikas, Peter Raskopoulos (c), Paul Kay, Grant Lee, David Mitchell, Mark Koussas Coach: Les Scheinflug
Sunday September 6 1981 Taipei Municipal Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan Referee: Tulu Gurkan (Philippines) Attendance: 7,000
Taiwan Chin Wang-Lin, Chen Ing-Ren, Hsu Chih Hsiang, Jong Chien-Wu, Lo Jin Fut Son, Chang Kuo-Chi, Wu Sau-Sin, Chow Tson-Fu, Chen Sing-An, Duh Dang-Chyan, Duh Deng-Sheng Coach: Pak Law Cautions: Chien-Wu 67, Deng-Sheng 80	0	-	0	AUSTRALIA Glen Ahearn, Robert Wheatley, Oscar Crino, Steve Blair, Howard Tredinnick, Peter Kay, Peter Raskopoulos, Jimmy Patikas, Grant Lee, David Mitchell, Mark Koussas Coach: Les Scheinflug

FIFA 1982 World Cup Oceania Group Final Standings
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	New Zealand	8	6	2	0	31	3	+28	14
2	AUSTRALIA	8	4	2	2	22	9	+13	10
3	Indonesia	8	2	2	4	5	14	-9	8
4	Taiwan	8	1	3	4	5	18	-13	5
5	Fiji	8	1	3	4	6	25	-19	5

 
Note: As Oceania Group winners, New Zealand advanced to the knockout stage while Australia were knocked out.

Last updated: 5 July 2026.