Greatest Socceroos moments in Australia - Yankos's free kick

As the Qantas Socceroos prepare to face Scotland in an international friendly, footballaustralia.com.au looks back at some of the great Socceroos moments on Australian soil. Today it’s Charlie Yankos’s goal against Argentina.

As the Qantas Socceroos prepare to face Scotland in an international friendly, footballaustralia.com.au looks back at some of the great Socceroos moments on Australian soil. Today it-s Charlie Yankos-s goal against Argentina.

In retrospect, the 1988 Bicentennial Gold Cup was a highly entertaining if slightly confusing mini tournament - just how did we convince reigning world champions Argentina and the world-s No.1 team Brazil to fly to Australia for a mid-year competition against the Socceroos and Saudi Arabia?

However it came about, it was a fantastic gift to Australian football fans - imagine if we could convince them to take part in a re-run now...

But back in the '80s, when shorts were short and mullets were long, the Socceroos first went up against Brazil, losing 1-0 to a Romario goal in Melbourne.

They followed that up with a 3-0 defeat of Saudi Arabia in Sydney, with Scott Ollerenshaw and a Frank Farina brace doing the business.

Then came the game against Argentina, FIFA World Cup winners just two years previously and boasting the likes of Diego Simeone and Oscar Ruggeri.

The Aussies stunned the world champions as Paul Wade put them in front after just two moments.

Ruggeri equalised on the half-hour mark, but just before half-time came Yankos-s free-kick, a single shot that will forever live in the minds of Australian football fans.

Almost 40 metres from goal, directly in front of the three-man Argentina wall, the skipper took a short run up and thrashed the ball goalwards. Despite a seemingly slight deflection, the ball brushed past the three-man wall, beyond goalkeeper Islas and into the right-hand corner.

A Yankos penalty and beautiful 80th-minute Vlado Bozinoski header completed the rout, as Australia defeated Argentina 4-1 in from of 18,000 at Sydney Football Stadium.

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