India has been placed in Group B alongside Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria in the AFC Asian Cup 2023. Indian Football Team will kick off their campaign against Australia on January 13 as they look to progress beyond the group stages of the continental piece.
Graham Arnold’s Australia notably reached the pre-quarterfinals in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Socceroos, led by goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, boast considerable strength and experience, with Ryan having been part of the team that clinched the AFC Asian Cup title in 2015. In this segment, we’ll delve into India’s past matchups against the Socceroos.
India have had quite some memorable encounters against Australia how ever, they do not exactly hold an upper hand in the head-to-head between the countries. In eight games, played India has emerged victorious in only two while Australia dominated 5. Only one game ended in a draw.
India vs Australia Head to Head Ahead of AFC Asian Cup:
Matches played: 8
Win: 2
Loss: 5
Draw: 1
| 03 Sep 1938 | Australia v India | L | 5-3 | International Friendly |
| 10 Sep 1938 | Australia v India | D | 4-4 | International Friendly |
| 17 Sep 1938 | Australia v India | W | 1-4 | International Friendly |
| 24 Sep 1938 | Australia v India | L | 5-4 | International Friendly |
| 01 Oct 1938 | Australia v India | L | 3-1 | International Friendly |
| 09 Dec 1956 | Australia v India | W | 1-7 | International Friendly |
| 14 Nov 1981 | India v Australia | L | 0-1 | King`s Cup |
| 10 Jan 2011 | India v Australia | L | 0-4 | AFC Asian Cup |
India’s Recent encounters against Australia:
In the most recent encounter between India and Australia on January 10, 2011, the Socceroos secured a commanding 4-0 victory. The scorecard featured goals from Harry Kewell, Brett Holman, and Tim Cahill (who scored twice). Despite the convincing win, goalkeeper Subrata Paul’s outstanding performance prevented an even more lopsided outcome. Sunil Chhetri, part of India’s XI, forced the only serious save from Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, six minutes from full-time. This match marked India’s return to the AFC Asian Cup after 27 years. It concluded with losses to Bahrain (2-5) and South Korea (1-4).
In a historic encounter on December 12, 1956, India triumphed over Australia with an impressive 7-1 scoreline. This match was a rematch demanded by the Australian football team, disputing their 4-2 defeat to India at home during the 1956 Summer Olympics. Led by captain Samar Banerjee, the Indian side, often considered the ‘golden generation’ under Syed Abul Rahim, showcased their dominance. Pradip Kumar Banerjee, Neville D’Souza, and J Krishnaswamy (Kittu) each scored braces in this significant victory.
India’s most memorable match against Australia took place on December 1, 1956, during the quarter-finals of the 1956 Summer Olympics. Held at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, this encounter resulted in a 4-2 victory for India. Neville D’Souza’s hat-trick, along with Kittu’s goal, sealed the win and contributed to India’s best-ever campaign in men’s football during the 1956 Olympics.
Editors pick
