Written by Thomas Esamie, Greg Stock, Andre Kruger and Jean-Michel Cazal. Thanks to Kevin Christopher (Studs Up editor) for the use of his personal material and John Punshon for the cross referencing of material. For more details see credits.

Australias path to the 1982 World Cup finals was via the Oceania qualifying group. This group consisted of New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan and Fiji. The winner of the group would go onto the next stage of qualification. The first match was against the "old foe" New Zealand in Auckland. This was a World Cup Qualifying match.
Played : April 25 1981				Venue : Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
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 Goals : G Turner 25, Wooddin 34, Sumner 80	3	-	3	Australia Allan Maher, Alan Davidson, Tony Henderson, Steve Blair, Steve Perry (John Yzendoorn 84), Eddie Krncevic, Billy Rogers, Murray Barnes, Ken Boden (Sebastian Giampaolo 69), John Kosmina, Peter Sharne Goals : Krncevic 15, 42, Boden 31
Referee : Gianfranco Menegali (Italy) Cautions : Alan Davidson, Steve Henderson Attendance : 10,000 Coach : Rudi Gutendorf (Australia), John Adshead (New Zealand)

The return match in Australia was played in Sydney. The match result was a shock to Australia and effectively meant their 1982 World Cup campaign was over. Coach Rudi Gutendorf was under extreme pressure and elected to resign immediately as Australian coach. This was a sad day in Australian soccer as not only was the World Cup qualifiers in tatters but Australia had lost a very experienced coach in Rudi Gutendorf. This was a World Cup Qualifying match.
Played : May 16 1981				Venue : Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia
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	0	-	2	New Zealand Richard Wilson, John Hill, Richard Herbert, Robert Almond, Glen Dods, Duncan Cole, Steve Sumner, Keith McKay (Samuel Malcolmson), Grant Turner, Brian Turner (Clive Campbell 85), Steve Wooddin Goals : Wooddin 29, G Turner 81
Referee : George Courtney (England) Linesmen : Au Chi Shing (Indonesia), V Garcia Olivera (Portugal) Caution : NZ - Dods Attendance : 12,000 Coach : Rudi Gutendorf (Australia), John Adshead (New Zealand)

Australias next World Cup opponent was Indonesia in Melbourne and considered to be a winnable match, but after the turmoil surrounding Rudi Gutendorfs resignation as coach, this match turned into being much more important than first thought. Longtime Australian stalwart Les Scheinflug again took over the coaching reins and had only a couple of days to mould the side into a competitive outfit for this important game. This was a World Cup Qualifying match.
Played : May 20 1981				Venue : Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia
Australia Allan Maher, Steve Perry (Peter Katholos 76), Steve Blair, John Yzendoorn, Jim Tansey, Murray Barnes, Tony Henderson, Alan Davidson, Peter Sharne, Gary Cole, John Kosmina Goals : Kosmina 29, Davidson 33	2	-	0	Indonesia Poerwono, Simson Rumah, Darmadi, Suharno, Pattinasarany, Subangkit, Wakano, Nurdiansah, Effendy, Nere, Tutuarima (T Wahyu)
Referee : V Garcia Olivera (Portugal) Linesmen : George Courtney (England), Au Chi Shing (Indonesia) Attendance : 10,000 Coach : Les Scheinflug (Australia), Tjong (Indonesia)

The next World Cup assignment was Taiwan in Adelaide. This was a World Cup Qualifying match.
Played : June 10 1981				Venue : Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia
Australia Allan Maher, Robert Wheatley, Steve Blair, Tony Henderson, Alan Davidson, Gary Byrne, Peter Katholos, Murray Barnes, Eddie Krncevic, John Kosmina, David Mitchell Goals : Henderson 18, Kosmina 56, Byrne 68pk	3	-	2	Taiwan Deng-chyan Duh, Chang Kuo-Chi, Jyhtson Lo, Sau-sin Wu, Deng-Sheng Duh, Chien-we Jong (Huey-shyong Chang 63), Chie-hsiang Hsu, Chen Sing, Tson-fu Chow, Ing-ren Chen, Chin-wang Lin (Shyh-Yuh Cheng 25) Goals : Deng-Sheng Duh 82, 90
Referee : Vijit Getkaen (Thailand) Attendance : 3,200 Coach : Les Scheinflug (Australia)

Australias next qualifier was an away match in Fiji. This was a World Cup Qualifying match.
Played : July 26 1981				Venue : National Stadium, Suva, Fiji
Fiji Akuili Ravono, Nakosia, Morrell, Watkins, Choy, Mohammed, Salim, Sami (F Kahn), Vuilanassa, Manaan, Williams, Ratu Goal : Vuilanassa 83	1	-	4	Australia Allan Maher, Alan Davidson (Robert Wheatley), Alan Niven, Tony Henderson, Steve Blair, Gary Byrne, Murray Barnes, Peter Katholos, Peter Sharne, Gary Cole, David Mitchell Goals : Cole 4, 31, Barnes 10, Sharne 28
Attendance : 11,000 Coaches : Wally Hughes (Fiji), Les Scheinflug (Australia)

The return match was played in Melbourne at Olympic Park and turned into a "day out" for strikers David Mitchell and Gary Cole who shared ten goals between them. This was also the final Australian appearance of longtime stalwart Murray Barnes who after 49 Australian appearances left the side on a winning note. This was a World Cup Qualifying match.
Played : August 14 1981				Venue : Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia
Australia Martyn Crook, Alan Davidson, Steve Blair, Tony Henderson, Alan Niven, Murray Barnes, Gary Byrne, Peter Katholos, Peter Sharne, Gary Cole, David Mitchell Goals : Mitchell 28, 43, 80, Cole 37, 43, 54, 63, 70, 71, 76	10	-	0	Fiji Akuili Ravono, Ione, Watkins, Choy, Morrell (Salim 46) , Manaan, Sami, Meli, Williams, Ratu, Inosi
Referee : A.Nobnom (Thailand) Attendance : 3,500 Coaches : Les Scheinflug (Australia), Wally Hughes (Fiji)

Australia then embarked on the final two away legs in Indonesia and Hong Kong. Coach Les Scheinflug decided to blood some young players and took a totally different Australian squad away with him. At this stage Australia were relying on New Zealand to lose one of their final games in order to finish level on points as well as win their final two assignments. However a shock loss by the young side to Indonesia all but ended the dreams of the 1982 World Cup finals. This was a World Cup Qualifying match.
Played : August 30 1981				Venue : Suribaya, Indonesia
Indonesia Poerwono, Simson Rumah, Darmadi, H Asnan (N Salasa 70), Kiswanto, R Asnan, Ismanto, Abdulrachman, Risdianto, Nere, Sirey (D Sulaiman 46) Goal : Risdianto 88	1	-	0	Australia Glen Ahearn, Robert Wheatley, Oscar Crino, Steve Blair, Brett Woods, Jimmy Patikas, Peter Raskopoulos, Paul Kay, Grant Lee, David Mitchell, Mark Koussas
Referee : R Reyes (Philippines) Attendance : 25,000 Coach : Les Scheinflug (Australia), Witarsa (Indonesia)

The final qualifying assignment was against Taiwan in Taipei. This match officially ended Australias 1982 world cup campaign. This was a World Cup Qualifying match.
Played : September 6 1981				Venue : Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwan Chen Hung Chiang, Juang Jiunn Shiun, Hsu Chie Hsiang, Chen Sing, Chow Tson Fu, Yu Jiann Jeng, Jong Chien Wu, Duh Deng Sheng, Chen Ing Ren, Chang Ku Chi, Duh Deng Chyan	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
Referee : T Gurkan (Philippines) Attendance : 7,000 Coach : Les Scheinflug (Australia), Law Pak (Taiwan)