Socceroos beat Scottish side

Press, 4 June 1984, Page 17

Socceroos beat Scottish side

NZPA-AAP Sydney Australia’s national soccer team scored its first victory under Frank Arok’s guidance at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, beating Glasgow Rangers, 32, and the Socceroo coach was obviously a greatly relieved man. Scoring three superb goals in the first 45 minutes, the Socceroos on Saturday dispelled any doubles about their ability in attack. After 21 minutes the Australian striker, David Mitchell, forced the goalkeeper, Peter McCloy, into a poor punched clearance, allowing Steve O’Connor to send a thundering volley into the back of the net. However, the Australians’ joy was shortlived, allowing Ally McCoist to jink through and send a delicate chip shot over the sprawling Terry Greedy in goal.

In the twenty-seventh minute a fine break by John Kosmina on the right saw him suddenly switch the ball to the left flank. Mitchell swung the ball back and Kosmina curled a stunning 14-metre shot past McCloy. Then Mitchell broke away from his marker on the left, darted into the area and then rifled a low shot to McCloy’s right, sneaking the ball inside the post to make the score, 3-1. After 25 minutes in the second half McCoist broke through and was upended by Charlie Yankos in the box for a penalty, which McCoist converted. In the seventy-fourth minute the otherwise clean match’s only ugly incident occurred when Col McAdam fouled David Mitchell, but broke his own leg in the process.