The Socceroos have only played the Czechs once, back in March 2000 when Australia went down 3-1 on a cold, wet night in Teplice.

Head coach Frank Farina named a side mixed of inexperienced players among seasoned pros Zjelko Kalac, Tony Popovic and Paul Okon. The Socceroos went down early in the tenth minute after poor defending from a corner, before two counter-attacks ended the night for Australia.

A late consolation from Craig Foster spared some blushes for Farina’s men. A whole generation of Socceroos have passed since that match, so who lined up for the Roos back in 2000?

Goalkeeper

Zjelko Kalac

A 28-year old ‘Spider’ was between the sticks in his 33rd game for the national team. Kalac was hitting the peak of his powers in his second year in the Dutch top flight, representing Roda JC. A few months after this match, Kalac would lift the KNVB Cup with the Dutch club, keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over N.E.C Nijmegen.

He was one of four goalkeepers used in the year 2000 among a star studded roster of Middlesborough’s Mark Schwarzer, Manchester United’s Mark Bosnich and Brisbane Strikers' Clint Bolton.

Kalac has enjoyed coaching roles at Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers and Turkish side Karabükspor since.

Defenders

Kevin Muscat

The Melbourne Victory coach was 27 years old when he earned his 21st cap for the Socceroos and was enjoying some of his best football for Wolverhampton Wanderers. In true Kevin Muscat form, he received a yellow card five minutes into the match.

Playing from midfield and central defence, Muscat had a prolific turn of the century, scoring four goals in 2000.

Muscat was substituted for Luke Casserly in the 71st minute.

Tony Popovic

The new Perth Glory gaffer was plying his trade in the J-League with Sanfrecce Hiroshima when he lined up against Czech Republic in his 25th Socceroos match. At 27 years of age Popovic was only months away from joining Crystal Palace in the English Premier League after five years in Japan.

The former Sydney FC player made the Socceroos famous 2006 World Cup squad at the age of 32.

Jason van Blerk

An unfamiliar name amongst Australian fans nowadays, van Blerk was playing as a full-back and centre back for West Bromwich Albion in the Football League First Division, what is now known as the EFL Championship.

At 32, it was his last match for the Socceroos. He represented Australia on 27 occasions, scoring once against Croatia in 1992. He was replaced with ten minutes to go by Richard Johnson.

Since 2013, van Blerk has been a part of the coaching staff at the Central Coast Mariners Academy.