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Quiz about Australian WC Qualifying Campaigns

Australian WC Qualifying Campaigns Quiz

Every four years the hopes of Aussie soccer fans are raised...and then dashed. Enjoy this quiz as we take a look at some of the World Cups that could have been!

A multiple-choice quiz by hews. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
hews

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
99,405

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
837

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Which South American team defeated Australia in the final play-off in the qualifiers, for a spot in the 2002 World Cup finals? Hint

Chile

Brazil

Paraguay

Uruguay

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Question 2 of 15

2. Who knocked Australia out in the final play-off in the qualifying phase for the 1998 World Cup? Hint

New Zealand

Iraq

Iran

South Korea

3. Australia were knocked out of the 1998 qualifiers in the final play-off: a result that was particularly painful for several reasons. Which of the following did NOT happen during that series? Hint

Australia wasn't defeated - they lost on the away goals rule

An Australian player was sent off in both games

Australia scored the first goal in both games

An exhibitionist disrupted play for fifteen minutes during the Australian leg

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Question 4 of 15

4. 1994 saw Australia square off against a multiple World Cup winner and finalist. Which team did Australia come very close to defeating in the final play-off for qualification? Hint

Brazil

Germany

Italy

Argentina

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Question 5 of 15

5. Australia didn't quite make the final hurdle for the 1990 World Cup. Instead they were eliminated in the second-to-last qualification series by whom? Hint

South Korea

Israel

Indonesia

Iran

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Question 6 of 15

6. In 1986, the Aussies outplayed a European rival but failed to find the net. Who dashed the Australians' hopes this time? Hint

England

Scotland

Greece

Portugal

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Question 7 of 15

7. In 1982 Australia were upstaged in qualifying by which regional neighbour? Hint

Papua New Guinea

Fiji

New Zealand

New Caledonia

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Question 8 of 15

8. Which team from the Middle-East team defeated Australia in the 1978 qualifiers? Hint

Saudi Arabia

Bahrain

Qatar

Kuwait

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Question 9 of 15

9. Australia made it to the World Cup in 1974. Who was the team that Australia defeated in the last qualification match to get there? Hint

China

North Korea

South Korea

Iran

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Question 10 of 15

10. Australia failed to score a goal at the 1974 World Cup finals?

True

False

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Question 11 of 15

11. Who were Australia's group opponents at the 1974 World Cup? Hint

Italy, Hungary and the United States

West Germany, East Germany and Chile

Brazil, Cameroon and Scotland

Spain, Egypt and Paraguay

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Question 12 of 15

12. The qualification rigours in 1970 were long and difficult. Which of the following teams was Australia NOT required to play in that campaign? Hint

Zimbabwe

Haiti

Japan

Israel

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Question 13 of 15

13. Who eventually knocked Australia out in 1970, and themselves qualified for the finals? Hint

Israel

Zimbabwe

South Korea

North Korea

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Question 14 of 15

14. Australia's worst defeat in qualifying (during the 20th century) came in the 1966 series. Which Asian team thrashed Australia 6-1 and progressed to England for the finals? Hint

South Korea

North Korea

Japan

China

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Question 15 of 15

15. In which World Cup campaign was the Australian team first known as 'the Socceroos'? Hint

2002

1986

1974

1994

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which South American team defeated Australia in the final play-off in the qualifiers, for a spot in the 2002 World Cup finals?

Answer: Uruguay

Uruguay overcame a one goal deficit from the Australian leg of the series and won 3-0 in Montevideo.

2. Who knocked Australia out in the final play-off in the qualifying phase for the 1998 World Cup?

Answer: Iran

In November 1997 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Iran scored two goals in the final twenty minutes for a 2-2 draw, to snatch the series based on the away goals rule (the first leg in Iran was a 1-1 draw).

3. Australia were knocked out of the 1998 qualifiers in the final play-off: a result that was particularly painful for several reasons. Which of the following did NOT happen during that series?

Answer: An Australian player was sent off in both games

Painful! Excrutiating! Who can forget SBS commentator Johnny Warren being unable to give a match analysis because he was overwhelmed with grief. A truly disasterous day in Aussie soccer.

4. 1994 saw Australia square off against a multiple World Cup winner and finalist. Which team did Australia come very close to defeating in the final play-off for qualification?

Answer: Argentina

Such has been FIFA policy that the winner of the Oceania qualifiers traditionally plays off against a team from another continent in order to qualify for the finals tournament. Australia lost in the second leg in South America by a solitary goal - and a freak own goal at that.

5. Australia didn't quite make the final hurdle for the 1990 World Cup. Instead they were eliminated in the second-to-last qualification series by whom?

Answer: Israel

Australia needed to defeat Israel in the last game of Round 2 of the Oceania qualifying group, but only managed a 1-1 draw (Israel were placed in the Oceania Group for the 1990 World Cup). Israel were in turn defeated by Colombia and failed to qualify for the 1990 World Cup.

6. In 1986, the Aussies outplayed a European rival but failed to find the net. Who dashed the Australians' hopes this time?

Answer: Scotland

Outplayed is slight exaggeration. The Aussies lost 2-0 in the Scottish leg but drew 0-0 at home in a game they dominated from the outset.

7. In 1982 Australia were upstaged in qualifying by which regional neighbour?

Answer: New Zealand

New Zealand drew 3-3 in the first leg and then all but secured qualification with an emphatic 2-0 win.

8. Which team from the Middle-East team defeated Australia in the 1978 qualifiers?

Answer: Kuwait

This was a rebuilding phase for Aussie soccer, with so many stars retiring after the 1974 World Cup. Kuwait were coached by Brazilian World Cup-winning coach Mario Zagallo. Australia were also defeated 1-0 by Fiji in a warm-up match in 1977. From a qualifying group that also consisted of Iran and South Korea, it was Iran that progressed to the finals.

9. Australia made it to the World Cup in 1974. Who was the team that Australia defeated in the last qualification match to get there?

Answer: South Korea

Australia defeated South Korea 1-0 in Hong Kong in the final qualification match.

10. Australia failed to score a goal at the 1974 World Cup finals?

Answer: True

Two of Australia's most potent weapons missed most of the World Cup through injury - Johnny Warren sustained a foot injury in the first group match and Ray Baartz fell victim to a vicious foul playing against the Uruguayans prior to the World Cup, which ended his career.

11. Who were Australia's group opponents at the 1974 World Cup?

Answer: West Germany, East Germany and Chile

Australia lost 0-2 to East Germany (who later defeated West Germany 1-0), lost 0-3 to eventual champions West Germany, and drew 0-0 with Chile in their 3rd group game.

12. The qualification rigours in 1970 were long and difficult. Which of the following teams was Australia NOT required to play in that campaign?

Answer: Haiti

Australia played Japan and South Korea in Seoul, and progressed to the next stage as the winner of that group in Asia-Oceania. The next round was a play-off against Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia), both legs were played in Mozambique (plus a 3rd game as the first two both ended in draws). The final round for Asia-Oceania saw Australia face Israel (0-1 loss away and a 1-1 draw in Sydney). Four distinct regions of the world in a few short weeks!
(9 games were played between 10th October 10th and December 14th, 1969)!

13. Who eventually knocked Australia out in 1970, and themselves qualified for the finals?

Answer: Israel

Australia lost 1-0 in Tel Aviv and then drew 1-1 in Sydney. After the World Cup, the Aussies defeated Israel 1-0 in Tel Aviv in a friendly.

14. Australia's worst defeat in qualifying (during the 20th century) came in the 1966 series. Which Asian team thrashed Australia 6-1 and progressed to England for the finals?

Answer: North Korea

North Korea won the two matches 6-1 and 3-1. Both matches were played in Cambodia. The North Koreans went on to beat Italy, an upset matched in magnitude by South Korea's defeat of Italy in 2002.

15. In which World Cup campaign was the Australian team first known as 'the Socceroos'?

Answer: 1974

The name was coined by a newspaper journalist in 1971 and has been used ever since.

Source: Author hews

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ozzz2002 before going online.
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