LIONS v KANGAROOS

Mention Australia to any person interested in sport and they will raise their eyebrows and look to the heavens wondering if it was necessary to mention The Ashes, Tennis, Hockey, Swimming, Rugby and probably Bowls, Curling, Skiing, Kite flying etc etc!! and to add the trials....

In 2003 The Socceroos beat England at SOCCER! The match was a friendly held at The Boleyn Ground (West Ham Utd), where Sven-Goran Eriksson, remember him?  was using the match as a "trial", so that he could use two teams changing the players at half time. Needless to say, The Three Lions went down 3-1 with perennial "sick-note", Harry Kewell getting on the score sheet. Strewth mate!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS8CKOCRx_U The stats were:

More recently England beat Australia on 13th October 2023, at Wembley, with a goal from Ollie Watkins after 57 mins. 

Match Facts: Shots Eng 9 Aust 14; on Target 3-4; Passes 67% (649)-33%(303); Pass Accuracy 87% 75%; Fouls 8-13; Offside 2-0; Corners 7-8; Yellow Cards 2-3. 

England v Australia 

Games won:	5
Games drawn:	2
Games lost:	1

Date	Match	Result	Score	Competition
31 May 1980	Australia v England	W	1-2	International Friendly
12 Jun 1983	Australia v England	D	0-0	International Friendly
15 Jun 1983	Australia v England	W	0-1	International Friendly
19 Jun 1983	Australia v England	D	1-1	International Friendly
01 Jun 1991	Australia v England	W	0-1	International Friendly
12 Feb 2003	England v Australia	L	1-3	International Friendly
27 May2016	England v Australia	W	2-1	International Friendly
13 Oct 2023	England v Australia	W	1-0	International Friendly

and Stephanie Frappart became the first female referee to take charge of a men's international at Wembley Stadium. It was her ninth game at men's 'A' international level.

Ollie Watkins had now scored in consecutive appearances for England (previously against Ivory Coast at Wembley Stadium on 29 March 2022). The gap of 563 days became the biggest between consecutive scoring appearances for the Three Lions since Mike O'Grady from 20 October 1962 against Northern Ireland to 12 March 1969 against France (2,335 days).

Although this was Australia's eighth meeting with England at 'A' international level, it was the first time that they had played at Wembley Stadium.

England Starting lineup:

GoalkeeperSam Johnstone

DefenderLevi Colwill

DefenderFikayo Tomori

Defender/MidfielderTrent Alexander-Arnold

Defender/MidfielderLewis Dunk

Defender/MidfielderJordan Henderson (captain)

MidfielderConor Gallagher

MidfielderJames Maddison

Midfielder/ForwardJarrod Bowen

Midfielder/ForwardJack Grealish

ForwardOllie Watkins

Substitutions:

Marcus Rashford for Jack Grealish	61
Kalvin Phillips for Conor Gallagher	62
John Stones for Fikayo Tomori	62
Kieran Trippier for Jordan Henderson	62
Phil Foden for James Maddison	73
Eddie Nketiah for Ollie Watkins                     74