Australia national soccer B team

The Australia national soccer B team, controlled by Football Federation Australia, is run occasionally as a second team for the Australia national soccer team. They have played nine matches, winning one, drawing six, and losing two.

Australia B
AssociationFootball Federation Australia
Most capsJim Patikas (9)
Top scorerDoug Brown (2)
First international
Australia B 0–0 Rangers
(Melbourne, Australia; 27 May 1984)
Biggest win
Australia B 2–0 China
(Canberra, Australia; 23 September 1985)
Biggest defeat
Australia B 4–0 Rangers
(Newcastle, Australia; 7 June 1984)

Concept and history

A national B team is designed to give games to players who are being considered for call-up to the full national squad. Generally, the team plays in friendly matches against other international B teams. These games are often played at smaller venues than the full national team play at, with attendances generally under 10,000.

Australia B were one of several teams which entered a "World Series" held in Australia in 1984, which included Rangers, Juventus, Australia A, Nottingham Forest and Iraklis. They were coached in the tournament by Eddie Thomson[1]

In 1985, Australia B played two games against China in the leadup to the 1987 Ampol Cup between China and Australia. They were coached by John Margaritis in both games.[2]

In 2007, then-Australia coach Graham Arnold, himself a former B international, flagged the idea of reviving the national B team.[3]

Results and fixtures

1984

27 May 1984 (1984-05-27) Australia B 0–0 RangersMelbourne, Australia
[4] Stadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Jim Fearn (Australia)
31 May 1984 (1984-05-31) Australia B 1–2
RangersBrisbane, Australia
Egan  38' Clark  43'
Ferguson  74'
Stadium: Lang Park
Attendance: 2,257
Referee: Bill Monteverde (Australia)
5 June 1984 (1984-06-05) Australia B 1–1 RangersAdelaide, Australia
McCulloch  30' McClelland  32' Stadium: Hindmarsh Stadium
Attendance: 4,300
Referee: Jim Rossis (Australia)
7 June 1984 (1984-06-07) Australia B 2–4
RangersNewcastle, Australia
Blair  18'
Brown  85' (pen.)
Paterson  19'
Burns  67'
McCoist  75'
Cooper  78'
Stadium: Adamstown Oval
Attendance: 6,292
Referee: Jim Reeves (Australia)
11 June 1984 (1984-06-11) Australia B 0–0
Nottingham ForestSydney, Australia
Stadium: Sydney Cricket Ground
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Garry Power (Australia)
13 June 1984 (1984-06-13) Australia B 0–0
IraklisBrisbane, Australia
Stadium: Lang Park
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Alan Kibbler (Australia)
17 June 1984 (1984-06-17) Australia B 1–1
IraklisMelbourne, Australia
Brown  67' (pen.) Papadopoulos Stadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground
Attendance: 18,300
Referee: Spiers (Australia)

1985

23 September 1985 (1985-09-23) Australia B 2–0
 China PRQueanbeyan, Australia
Petersen  50'
Wade  72'
Stadium: Seiffert Oval
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Richard Lorenc (Australia)
25 September 1985 (1985-09-25) Australia B 1–1
 China PRSydney, Australia
Arnold  76' Ma  28' Stadium: St George Stadium
Attendance: 1,530
Referee: Garry Power (Australia)

Managers

References

  1. Stock, Greg. "Socceroo B Matches for 1984". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  2. Stock, Greg. "Socceroo B Matches for 1985". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  3. Cockerill, Michael (17 March 2017). "Arnold's plan B: Socceroos seconds to nurture the next generation of stars". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  4. "Franken earns Australia draw". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 May 1984. p. 33.
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