Australia Under 23 National Team

Australia Under 23 National Team "Olyroos" - 1997 Match Results

Written by Greg Stock

Sources: Doug Butcher, Thomas Esamie, John Punshon, Nick Guoth & Tony Moran

The South African under 23 side made a tour of Eastern Australia in July 1997. This was a reciprical tour for the one Australia had made the previous year and gave the oppurtunity for both sides to have serious competition. The Australian side contained a lot of the Young Socceroos squad that played in the World youth championships in Malaysia under coach Les Scheinflug.

Played: Saturday July 12 1997 Venue: Bruce Stadium, Canberra

Australia
Peter Zois, Sebastian Sinozic, Tansel Baser, Ivan Zelic, Vince Grella, Buddy Farah (Simon Colosimo), Brett Emerton, Bill Damianos, Carlos Gonzales (Yane Talcevski), Andy Vargas, Kostas Salapasidis (Danny Allsopp).
Cautions: Emerton, Vargas
Goals: Emerton 33, Gonzales 57 2 - 0 South Africa
Wayne Roberts, Claude Collet, Teboho Aaron Mokoena, Matthew Booth, Bradley Carnell, Trevor Mosehathebe (Michael Shata), Josiah Lucky Mtiathi (Tebogo Sehialo), Junaid Hartley, Quinton Fortune (Hendrik Gulwa), Anton Greyling, Glen Salmon (Bradley August).
Caution: Collet

Referee: Ben Williams (Australia)
Coaches: Raul Blanco (Australia), Mitch d'Avray (South Africa)

Played: Saturday July 19 1997 Venue: Brandon Park, Wollongong

Australia
Peter Zois, Simon Colosimo, Tansel Baser (Yane Talcevski 80), Ivan Zelic, Sebastian Sinozic, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Bill Damianos, Carlos Gonzales (Danny Allsopp 46), Andy Vargas (Michael Curcija 46), Kosta Salapasidis.
Goals: Salapasidis 34, Allsopp 72 2 - 3 South Africa
Wayne Roberts, Michael Shata, Taboho Aaron Mokoena, Matthew Booth, Bradley Carnell (Claude Collet), Mark de Castro, Chrissandro de Weber, Anton Greyling, Quinton Fortune, Junaid Hartley (Hendrik Gulwa 72), Glen Salmon (Tabogo Sehialo 82).
Goals: Salmon 10, de Weber 22, 53

Referees: Con Diomis (Australia)
Attendance: 4,058
Coaches: Raul Blanco (Australia), Mitch d'Avray (South Africa)

Played: Thursday July 24 1997 Venue: Coffs Harbour International Sports Stadium, Coffs Harbour

Holiday Coast Under 20 Invitational XI
(Lineup & Goalscorer Not Known) 1 - 7 Australia
Lineup Included; Simon Colosimo, Tansel Baser, Andy Vargas, Michael Curcija, Kostas Salapasidis.
Goals: Curcija (x2), Salapasidis (x2), Vargas, Baser, Colosimo

Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)

Played: Saturday July 26 1997 Venue: Coffs Harbour Invitational Sports Stadium, Coffs Harbour

Holiday Coast Invitation XI
Lineup Included; Ben Finnigan, Gary Phillips, Troy Halpin, Milan Ivanovic, David Halverson, Colin Smith, Clayton Zane.
Goal: Zane 1 - 7 Australia
Lineup Included; Peter Zois, Simon Colosimo, Brett Emerton, Carlos Gonzales, Michael Curcija, Danny Allsopp, Kostas Salapasidis.
Goals: Allsopp (x4), Salapasidis, Gonzales, Colosimo

Attendance: 4,500
Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)

Played: Wednesday July 30 1997 Venue: Atheltic Oval, Toowoomba

Queensland Under 20 Talented Athletes Program XI
Lineup Included; Trevor Gilliand, David Pilic, Greg Di Losa, Greg Anderson, Alan Gordon, Troy Wickstein, Glen Kolpak. 0 - 5 Australia
Lineup Included; Simon Colosimo, Carlos Gonzales, Michael Curcija, Kostas Salapasidis.
Goals: Salapasidis (x2), Curcija, Gonzales, Colosimo

Attendance: 2,000
Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)

Played: Friday August 1 1997 Venue: Perry Park, Brisbane

Queensland
Robert Farrow, Steve Jackson, Gary Brattan, Nick Seeley, Damian Harris (Roy Huth 60), Damian Waugh (Demetri Theochari 70), Cameron Pearse, Brad Ditton, Warren Allen (Ricki Hill 25), Andy Lees, Glen Kolpak (Clayton Koch 80).
Red Card: Lees 35 0 - 1 Australia
Peter Zois, Levent Osman, Ivan Zelic, Tansel Baser, Sebastian Sinozic, Bill Damianos, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Andy Vargas (Carlos Gonzales 65), Kostas Salapasidis, Michael Curcija (Danny Allsopp 55).
Goal: Emerton 70

Referee: Mark Shield (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Bob Eedy & Jason Power (Australia)
Attendance: 1,500
Coaches: John Stewart (Queensland) & Raul Blanco (Australia)

Played: Sunday August 3 1997 Venue: Ryan Park, Rockhampton

Central Queensland Under 20 Talented Athletes Program XI
Lineup Included; Darrell Graham, Darren England, Lee Graham. 0 - 2 Australia
Lineup Included; Andy Vargas, Carlos Gonzales, Kosta Salapasidis; Sub: Danny Allsopp.
Goals: Gonzales 55, Allsopp 89

Coaches: David Brand (Central Queensland), Eddie Thomson (Australia)

Played: Wednesday August 6 1997 Venue: Ryan Park, Rockhampton

Rockhampton
Lineup Included; Richard Buckle (Darrell Graham), Darren England, Darren Jeffries, Craig Green, Nathan Fairley, Glen Sheppard, Dane Smith, Jason Wyer, Roy Bob. 0 - 1 Australia
Lineup Included; Peter Zois, Bill Damianos; Sub: Danny Allsopp.
Goal: Allsopp 72

Coaches: Willie Burns (Rockhampton), Raul Blanco (Australia)

Played: Friday August 8 1997 Venue: Murray Soccer Complex, Townsville

North Queensland Razorbacks
Lineup Included; Victor Murphy.
Goal: Murphy 1 - 7 Australia
Lineup Included; Brett Emerton, Yane Talcevski, Michael Curcija, Danny Allsopp.
Goals: Allsopp (x4), Curcija, Talcevski, Emerton

<Attendance: 800
Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)

Played: Sunday August 10 1997 Venue: International Park, Ayr

North Queensland Under 20 Talented Athlete Program XI
Lineup Included; Brendon Leakso, Matt Allen, Gary McGrath, Carl Haddow.
Goals: McGrath pen, Haddow, Allen 3 - 7 Australia
Lineup Included; Brad Swancott, Simon Colosimo, Dean Culina, Danny Allsopp, Michael Curcija, Ivan Zelic, Kosta Salapasidis.
Goals: Curcija (x3), Salapasidis (x2), Allsopp, Colosimo

Coaches: Hugh Montgomery (North Queensland), Raul Blanco (Australia)

Played: Friday August 15 1997 Venue: Borzi Park, Mareeba

Far North Queensland Taipans
(Lineup Not Known) 0 - 4 Australia
(Lineup & Goalscorers Not Known)

Attendance: 1,000
Coaches: Milah Jankovic (Far North Queensland), Raul Blanco (Australia)

Played: Sunday August 17 1997 Venue: Leichhardt FC Ground, White Rock, Cairns

Far North Queensland Taipans Under 20
Lineup Included; Wade Collins, damon McLeod, Gavin Honey
Goal: Honey 1 - 16 Australia
Lineup Included; Simon Colosimo, Brett Emerton, Bill Damianos, Yane Talcevski, John Cutillo, Danny Allsopp, Michael Curcija, Kosta Salapasidis.
Goals: Allsopp (x4), Curcija (x3), Salapasidis (x2), Talcevski (x2), Colosimo (x2) Cutillo, Emerton, Damianos

Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)

Played: Wednesday August 20 1997 Venue: AIS Field, Canberra

Young A.C.T. Rockets
Steve Wilkinson (Ian Jeffreys 66), Joel Curtis, Adrian Parragalli, Tim Francis, Manuel Sermano, Oscar Zamora (Shane Lyons 62), Jose Exposito (Geoff Howarth 52), Gabby Exposito (David Polywada 76), Pino Seminara, John Glass, Matthew Kemp.
Goal: (Goalscorer Not Known) 1 - 5 Australia
Brad Swancott, Tansel Baser, Levent Osman, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Bill Damianos, Dean Culina, Yane Talcevski (John Cutillo 60), Ivan Zelic, Michael Curcija, Daniel Allsopp.
Caution: Baser 58
Goals: Curcija 16, 25, Allsopp 33, Baser 60

Referee: Ben Williams (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Gordon Dunster & G.Martin (Australia)
Coaches: Jimmy Bland (Young A.C.T. Rockets), Raul Blanco (Australia)

Last updated: 15 December 2020.

The South African under 23 side made a tour of Eastern Australia in July 1997. This was a reciprical tour for the one Australia had made the previous year and gave the oppurtunity for both sides to have serious competition. The Australian side contained a lot of the Young Socceroos squad that played in the World youth championships in Malaysia under coach Les Scheinflug.
Played: Saturday July 12 1997				Venue: Bruce Stadium, Canberra
Australia Peter Zois, Sebastian Sinozic, Tansel Baser, Ivan Zelic, Vince Grella, Buddy Farah (Simon Colosimo), Brett Emerton, Bill Damianos, Carlos Gonzales (Yane Talcevski), Andy Vargas, Kostas Salapasidis (Danny Allsopp). Cautions: Emerton, Vargas Goals: Emerton 33, Gonzales 57	2	-	0	South Africa Wayne Roberts, Claude Collet, Teboho Aaron Mokoena, Matthew Booth, Bradley Carnell, Trevor Mosehathebe (Michael Shata), Josiah Lucky Mtiathi (Tebogo Sehialo), Junaid Hartley, Quinton Fortune (Hendrik Gulwa), Anton Greyling, Glen Salmon (Bradley August). Caution: Collet
Referee: Ben Williams (Australia) Coaches: Raul Blanco (Australia), Mitch d'Avray (South Africa)
Played: Saturday July 19 1997				Venue: Brandon Park, Wollongong
Australia Peter Zois, Simon Colosimo, Tansel Baser (Yane Talcevski 80), Ivan Zelic, Sebastian Sinozic, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Bill Damianos, Carlos Gonzales (Danny Allsopp 46), Andy Vargas (Michael Curcija 46), Kosta Salapasidis. Goals: Salapasidis 34, Allsopp 72	2	-	3	South Africa Wayne Roberts, Michael Shata, Taboho Aaron Mokoena, Matthew Booth, Bradley Carnell (Claude Collet), Mark de Castro, Chrissandro de Weber, Anton Greyling, Quinton Fortune, Junaid Hartley (Hendrik Gulwa 72), Glen Salmon (Tabogo Sehialo 82). Goals: Salmon 10, de Weber 22, 53
Referees: Con Diomis (Australia) Attendance: 4,058 Coaches: Raul Blanco (Australia), Mitch d'Avray (South Africa)
Played: Thursday July 24 1997				Venue: Coffs Harbour International Sports Stadium, Coffs Harbour
Holiday Coast Under 20 Invitational XI (Lineup & Goalscorer Not Known)	1	-	7	Australia Lineup Included; Simon Colosimo, Tansel Baser, Andy Vargas, Michael Curcija, Kostas Salapasidis. Goals: Curcija (x2), Salapasidis (x2), Vargas, Baser, Colosimo
Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)
Played: Saturday July 26 1997				Venue: Coffs Harbour Invitational Sports Stadium, Coffs Harbour
Holiday Coast Invitation XI Lineup Included; Ben Finnigan, Gary Phillips, Troy Halpin, Milan Ivanovic, David Halverson, Colin Smith, Clayton Zane. Goal: Zane	1	-	7	Australia Lineup Included; Peter Zois, Simon Colosimo, Brett Emerton, Carlos Gonzales, Michael Curcija, Danny Allsopp, Kostas Salapasidis. Goals: Allsopp (x4), Salapasidis, Gonzales, Colosimo
Attendance: 4,500 Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)
Played: Wednesday July 30 1997				Venue: Atheltic Oval, Toowoomba
Queensland Under 20 Talented Athletes Program XI Lineup Included; Trevor Gilliand, David Pilic, Greg Di Losa, Greg Anderson, Alan Gordon, Troy Wickstein, Glen Kolpak.	0	-	5	Australia Lineup Included; Simon Colosimo, Carlos Gonzales, Michael Curcija, Kostas Salapasidis. Goals: Salapasidis (x2), Curcija, Gonzales, Colosimo
Attendance: 2,000 Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)
Played: Friday August 1 1997				Venue: Perry Park, Brisbane
Queensland Robert Farrow, Steve Jackson, Gary Brattan, Nick Seeley, Damian Harris (Roy Huth 60), Damian Waugh (Demetri Theochari 70), Cameron Pearse, Brad Ditton, Warren Allen (Ricki Hill 25), Andy Lees, Glen Kolpak (Clayton Koch 80). Red Card: Lees 35	0	-	1	Australia Peter Zois, Levent Osman, Ivan Zelic, Tansel Baser, Sebastian Sinozic, Bill Damianos, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Andy Vargas (Carlos Gonzales 65), Kostas Salapasidis, Michael Curcija (Danny Allsopp 55). Goal: Emerton 70
Referee: Mark Shield (Australia) Assistant Referees: Bob Eedy & Jason Power (Australia) Attendance: 1,500 Coaches: John Stewart (Queensland) & Raul Blanco (Australia)
Played: Sunday August 3 1997				Venue: Ryan Park, Rockhampton
Central Queensland Under 20 Talented Athletes Program XI Lineup Included; Darrell Graham, Darren England, Lee Graham.	0	-	2	Australia Lineup Included; Andy Vargas, Carlos Gonzales, Kosta Salapasidis; Sub: Danny Allsopp. Goals: Gonzales 55, Allsopp 89
Coaches: David Brand (Central Queensland), Eddie Thomson (Australia)
Played: Wednesday August 6 1997				Venue: Ryan Park, Rockhampton
Rockhampton Lineup Included; Richard Buckle (Darrell Graham), Darren England, Darren Jeffries, Craig Green, Nathan Fairley, Glen Sheppard, Dane Smith, Jason Wyer, Roy Bob.	0	-	1	Australia Lineup Included; Peter Zois, Bill Damianos; Sub: Danny Allsopp. Goal: Allsopp 72
Coaches: Willie Burns (Rockhampton), Raul Blanco (Australia)
Played: Friday August 8 1997				Venue: Murray Soccer Complex, Townsville
North Queensland Razorbacks Lineup Included; Victor Murphy. Goal: Murphy	1	-	7	Australia Lineup Included; Brett Emerton, Yane Talcevski, Michael Curcija, Danny Allsopp. Goals: Allsopp (x4), Curcija, Talcevski, Emerton
<Attendance: 800 Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)
Played: Sunday August 10 1997				Venue: International Park, Ayr
North Queensland Under 20 Talented Athlete Program XI Lineup Included; Brendon Leakso, Matt Allen, Gary McGrath, Carl Haddow. Goals: McGrath pen, Haddow, Allen	3	-	7	Australia Lineup Included; Brad Swancott, Simon Colosimo, Dean Culina, Danny Allsopp, Michael Curcija, Ivan Zelic, Kosta Salapasidis. Goals: Curcija (x3), Salapasidis (x2), Allsopp, Colosimo
Coaches: Hugh Montgomery (North Queensland), Raul Blanco (Australia)
Played: Friday August 15 1997				Venue: Borzi Park, Mareeba
Far North Queensland Taipans (Lineup Not Known)	0	-	4	Australia (Lineup & Goalscorers Not Known)
Attendance: 1,000 Coaches: Milah Jankovic (Far North Queensland), Raul Blanco (Australia)
Played: Sunday August 17 1997				Venue: Leichhardt FC Ground, White Rock, Cairns
Far North Queensland Taipans Under 20 Lineup Included; Wade Collins, damon McLeod, Gavin Honey Goal: Honey	1	-	16	Australia Lineup Included; Simon Colosimo, Brett Emerton, Bill Damianos, Yane Talcevski, John Cutillo, Danny Allsopp, Michael Curcija, Kosta Salapasidis. Goals: Allsopp (x4), Curcija (x3), Salapasidis (x2), Talcevski (x2), Colosimo (x2) Cutillo, Emerton, Damianos
Coach: Raul Blanco (Australia)
Played: Wednesday August 20 1997				Venue: AIS Field, Canberra
Young A.C.T. Rockets Steve Wilkinson (Ian Jeffreys 66), Joel Curtis, Adrian Parragalli, Tim Francis, Manuel Sermano, Oscar Zamora (Shane Lyons 62), Jose Exposito (Geoff Howarth 52), Gabby Exposito (David Polywada 76), Pino Seminara, John Glass, Matthew Kemp. Goal: (Goalscorer Not Known)	1	-	5	Australia Brad Swancott, Tansel Baser, Levent Osman, Vince Grella, Brett Emerton, Bill Damianos, Dean Culina, Yane Talcevski (John Cutillo 60), Ivan Zelic, Michael Curcija, Daniel Allsopp. Caution: Baser 58 Goals: Curcija 16, 25, Allsopp 33, Baser 60
Referee: Ben Williams (Australia) Assistant Referees: Gordon Dunster & G.Martin (Australia) Coaches: Jimmy Bland (Young A.C.T. Rockets), Raul Blanco (Australia)