Sources: Australian Soccer Weekly and ASF Annual Report.

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Sunday March 12 1989 Sydney Football Stadium, Moore Park, Sydney Referee: Shizuo Takada (Japan) Attendance: 13,621
AUSTRALIA Jeff Olver, Wally Savor, Alan Davidson, Charlie Yankos (Andy Koczka 86), Steve Calderan, Paul Wade, Warren Spink (Robbie Slater 63), Mike Petersen, Graham Arnold, Oscar Crino, Scott Ollerenshaw Coach: Frank Arok Cautions: Not Recorded Goals: Crino 16, Arnold 42, 56, Yankos 78 pen	4	-	1	New Zealand Clint Gosling, Ricki Herbert, Tommy Mason, Malcolm Dunford, Ceri Evans, Tony Levy, Chris Riley, David Witteveen (Roger Gray 80), Danny Halligan (Nigel Debenham 41), Darren McClellan, Noel Barkley Coach: John Adshead Cautions: Not Recorded Goal: Dunford 70
The second stage of qualifying for the 1990 World Cup Finals was again in a round robin home and away series against New Zealand and Israel. Oceania had been allocated 0.5 of a spot meaning the winner would still need to negotiate an inter continental playoff with a South American opponent to make the Finals. The first game of the four was at home against New Zealand with the Socceroos recording their biggest win in a World Cup Qualifier to date.
Sunday March 19 1989 National Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel Referee: Manfred Neumer (West Germany) Attendance: 45,000
Israel Boni Ginzburg, Avraham Cohen, Nir Alon, Yehuda Amar, David Pizanti (Eli Cohen 81), Efraim Davidi (Eli Drieks 78), Moshe Sinai, Nir Klinger, Eli Ohana, Shlomo Iluz, Roni Rosenthal Coaches: Itzhak Shneor and Yaacov Grundman Cautions: Not Recorded Goal: Ohana 66 pen	1	-	1	AUSTRALIA Jeff Olver, Alan Davidson, Charlie Yankos, Steve Calderan, Wally Savor, Paul Wade, Oscar Crino, Mike Petersen, Graham Arnold, Eddie Krncevic, Frank Farina (Graham Jennings 85) Coach: Milenko Mihic Cautions: Savor 55, 86; Red Card: Savor 86 Goal: Yankos 72
A draw away to Israel had Australia well placed in top spot at the midway point of the Oceania Second Round World Cup Qualifiers.
Sunday April 2 1989 Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand Referee: Bin Singah (Singapore) Attendance: 6,500
New Zealand Clint Gosling, Ricki Herbert, Garry Lund, Malcolm Dunford (Tony Levy 79), Tommy Mason, Noel Barkley (Danny Halligan 74), Robert Ironside, Michael Ridenton, Billy Wright, Fred De Jong, Darren McClennan Coach: John Adshead Cautions: Not Recorded Goals: Dunford 19, Wright 80	2	-	0	AUSTRALIA Jeff Olver, Alan Davidson, Charlie Yankos, Steve Calderan (Andy Koczka 62), Gary Van Egmond, Paul Wade, Oscar Crino, Mike Petersen (Robbie Slater 71), Warren Spink, Graham Arnold, Scott Ollerenshaw Coach: Frank Arok Cautions: Nil
Australia played poorly away in New Zealand to go down 2-0 and thus setting up a must win game against Israel in the final qualifier at home to advance to the Inter Continental Playoff.
Sunday April 16 1989 Sydney Football Stadium, Moore Park, Sydney Referee: Carlo Longhi (Italy) Attendance: 40,320
AUSTRALIA Jeff Olver, Wally Savor, Alan Davidson, Charlie Yankos (c), Gary van Egmond, Paul Wade (Mike Petersen 46), Frank Farina, David Mitchell, Graham Arnold (Paul Trimboli 66), Oscar Crino, Eddie Krncevic Coach: Frank Arok Cautions: Not Recorded Goal: Trimboli 88	1	-	1	Israel Boni Ginzburg, Avraham Cohen, Yehuda Amar, Nir Klinger, Yaron Parselani, Nir Alon, Moshe Sinai, Efraim Davidi, Shalom Tivka (Eitan Aharoni 80), Eli Ohana, Roni Rosenthal Coaches: Itzhak Shneor and Yaacov Grundman Cautions: Not Recorded Goal: Ohana 40
Australia's final game of the tournament ended in tragedy. Needing a win to advance they could only manage a draw and thus bowed out of the 1990 world cup campaign. Paul trimboli scored a late equaliser for the Socceroos but sadly it was not enough - Israel finishing atop of the group and moving into the Inter Continental Play-Offs.
Oceania Second Round World Cup Qualifying Standings Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Israel 4 1 3 0 5 4 1 5 2 AUSTRALIA 4 1 2 1 6 4 2 4 3 New Zealand 4 1 1 2 5 7 -2 3
Note: Israel advanced to the Inter Continental Playoff matches for a spot in the 1990 World Cup Finals.