World Cup Group B Chile 3-1 Australia Sanchez 12, Valdivia 14, Beausejour 90 Cahill 35 Australia made Chile work hard for their victory and it took a late goal for the South American's to claim the points against dogged opposition.
After just 14 minutes Australian found themselves trailing by two goals and on course to be swept aside by a classy Chile outfit whose pace and movement was running the Socceroos ragged.
The Aussies fielded nine players making their World Cup debut and are the lowest ranked team at the tournament whilst their opponents have a mandate to attack and the world class strikers to take advantage of playing a high tempo game.
Certainly the opening half-hour bore out the difference in class between the two teams and there seemed no way back for the Australians, other than damage limitation to the scoreline.
The Aussie defence was in disarray as Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring from close range, and the Barcelona forward turned provider two minutes later teeing up Jorge Valdivia to fire high into the roof of the net from 15 yards.
But a certain slackness crept into Chile's play and that allowed Australia back into the game with a goal against the run of play just before the break.
A cross from the right by Ivan Franjic allowed Tim Cahill to bag the fourth World Cup goal of his career with a marvellous header. Incredibly within a minute the Aussies could have been level as the goalscorer fired against the legs of keeper Claudio Bravo when put clear inside the penalty area.
The Socceroos improved markedly after the break and continued to press their now subdued opponents and thought they had levelled early in the second half, but another Cahill header was ruled offside.
Marco Bresciano saw a snap shot saved on the line by the keeper as chances began to present themselves to the Aussies with Cahill a constant thorn in the side of the Chile defence.
Chile may have lost their momentum but still possessed dangerous players to create chances and only a goal-line clearance from Alex Wilkinson prevented Eduardo Vargas from getting on the scoresheet.
Chile finally made the game safe in stoppage time when substitute Beausejour reacted first to a rebound and drove the ball past Mat Ryan to give the final score a slightly flattering look.
