Australia and New Zealand were the two OFC members that participated in qualifying for the 1970 FIFA World Cup™ in Mexico, with the qualification tournament combined with AFC and consisting of three rounds.
New Zealand received a bye through to the second round, and Australia joined them after finishing the first round unbeaten, with two wins and two draws from matches against Japan and South Korea.
The second round saw New Zealand placed in a group with Israel and North Korea, whilst Australia were drawn alongside Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe). North Korea refused to play Israel and withdrew from the qualifying tournament as a result, leaving New Zealand with two games against the Israelis.
They lost both, falling to a 0-4 defeat in the first game, and 0-2 defeat in the second. Australia drew both of their games with Rhodesia, forcing a third match to decide who would progress. Goals from Johnny Warren, Phillemon Tegire and Willie Rutherford helped Australia to a 3-1 victory to book their place in the third round.
The third and final round involved a home and away two-game play-off between Australia and Israel to decide who would progress to the 1970 FIFA World Cup™. An own goal from David Zeman put the Socceroos on the back foot early in the tie, losing the first leg 0-1 away in Ramat Gan.
They fought hard to turn it around in Sydney, but could only muster a 1-1 draw, losing the tie 1-2 on aggregate, with John Watkiss scoring their only goal.
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