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.

Josip Skoko

Only a month after scoring his first international goal against Hungary, a 25-year-old Skoko was stationed at full-back against Czech Republic, one of his less favoured positions. Still in the early years of his national team duty, Skoko was a midfield general for Belgian side Genk, current owners of Socceroo goalkeeper Danny Vukovic.

Another golden generation player, but most of us still remember him for his stunning goal in front of 95,000 at the MCG against Greece in the Socceroos World Cup sendoff.

He was most recently coaching youngsters at the North Geelong Warriors.

Shaun Murphy

Murphy was always on the outside looking in on the Socceroos squad. After signing for English Second Division side Notts County in 1992 he didn’t get another look in for eight years.

Murphy’s career resurrected after signing for historic English club Sheffield United. At the age of 30 Murphy snuck his way back into the Socceroos frame under Frank Farina and played his sixth game for the Socceroos as a defensive midfielder and central defender against Czech Republic.  

He went on to make over 150 appearances for Sheffield and a total of 20 in green and gold before joining Perth Glory in their title winning season in the final year of the NSL.

Midfielders

Steve Corica

Corica was lining up alongside Kevin Muscat at Wolverhampton Wanderers back at the turn of the century, making 15 appearances in the 1999/2000 season. The Czech Republic match was his 27th cap for Australia as he played 57 minutes before being replaced by goalscorer Craig Foster.

It’s a tough road ahead for the new Sydney FC manager as he prepares to take over one of the biggest clubs in Australia.

Paul Okon

The former Central Coast Mariners coach was a seasoned professional at this stage of his career and was playing his eighteenth game for Australia. Okon had just traded Lazio and a lavish life in the Italian capital for a new challenge with Fiorentina.

Unfortunately for him, Lazio went on to take out the Serie A title the season following his departure, after Okon left due to a lack of chances ahead of talented midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron and Diego Simeone.

Okon was still playing at a higher level than most in the squad in a season that saw him play Champions League football against the likes of Barcelona and Bordeaux.

Forwards

Stan Lazaridis

A storied Socceroo and another member of our golden generation. Lazaridis represented Australia on 71 occasions playing anywhere on the left flank with blistering speed.

One of Western Australia’s greatest football exports, his time at West Ham United in the English Premier League was up, and he took a surprising step down to Birmingham City in the second division. It wasn’t long before he had The Blues back in the big time and in 2002 was home in the top flight once again.

In his 39th appearance for Australia, Lazaridis was in a wide left attacking position, sending in the cross that caused chaos in the Czech box before Craig Foster pounced.

Mark Viduka

For some he is the greatest Socceroo of all time, etching his name as one of our greatest goal scorers. Words simply cannot do ‘Dukes’ any justice.

A stallion at 25 years of age, Viduka was in absolute scorching hot form for Scottish giants Celtic, scoring 25 goals in 28 Scottish Premiership matches in the 1999/2000 season.

In his 18th Socceroos match Viduka still only had two goals to his name, back in 1997. His next wouldn’t come until 2003 against Ireland. Despite that, Viduka was banging them in for fun at club level and would soon be putting Australia on the map along with Harry Kewell at Leeds United in the English Premier League.

Paul Agostino

Agostino represented Australia 20 times and Czech Republic was his eighth chance to pull on the Socceroos shirt. The 25-year old was teammates with Ned Zelic at TSV 1860 München in the Bundesliga.

In his time at 1860 in the first and second division in Germany, Agostino played over 200 games scoring more than 50 goals.

The year 2000 was Agostino’s breakout year for goals in green and gold. The striker scored six times in 12 matches including one against Bulgaria, a hat-trick against Cook Islands and a brace against South Korea.

Substitutes

Craig Foster

The goal scorer for Australia on the night was coming towards the end of his international career. Playing out his final season for Crystal Palace in England, aptly being replaced by Tony Popovic, Foster played his 24th game for Australia against the Czechs.

In his final year of national team football, Foster scored seven of his nine international goals.

He then returned back to Australia and played out his remaining years at Northern Spirit, now known as Gladesville Hornsby Football Association Spirit FC, before becoming one of Australian football's most trusted and enjoyed pundits.

He is now head of the Southern Expansion bid for the Hyundai A-League.

Clayton Zane

It was only Zane’s third appearance for Australia as the 23-year old striker replaced Paul Agostino on the night. Zane was skipping along in the Norwegian First Division with Mölde FK having signed from Northern Spirit at the beginning of the season.

Although he didn't play at the highest level throughout his club career, he still represented Australia on 16 occasions. Zane made 11 appearances for Australia in 2000 scoring five goals and is now assistant manager to Ernie Merrick at the Newcastle Jets.

Richard Johnson

The 26-year-old midfielder was firmly in the hearts of Watford fans enjoying his ninth season at the club. Johnson was substituted on for Jason van Blerk in the Czech Republic match and it was to be his only ‘A International’ appearance for Australia.

His two other caps came in 1999, both B international matches against a Brazil B side, playing alongside established Socceroos like Damian Mori and Tony Vidmar. While it was his last game for Australia, Johnson also had to deal with the relegation of Watford from the Premier League to the Football League First Division after just being promoted.

Johnson would never get the chance to see Watford return to the top flight after leaving Watford in 2004 after over 200 matches for the club.

Luke Casserly

The Socceroos defender played his sixth game for Australia, coming on for Kevin Muscat in the 71st minute. Another Northern Spirit player, Casserly made his debut three years earlier against New Zealand in his early days at Marconi.

Casserly went on to make a further three appearances, playing a total of eight times for Australia.

He is now the FFA’s Head of National Performance.