page_title: 2015 AFC Asian Cup Group A
section_title: Australia vs Kuwait
hierarchical_section_title: 2015 AFC Asian Cup Group A / Matches / Australia vs Kuwait
caption_attribution_description: English: 2015 AFC Asian Cup opening match Australia Kuwait, 9 January 2015
context_page_description: Group A of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup was one of four groups of nations competing at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. The group's first round of matches were played on 9 and 10 January, the second round on 13 January, and the final round on 17 January. All six group matches were played at venues in Australia. The group consisted of hosts Australia, South Korea, Oman and Kuwait. South Korea and Australia advanced as group winners and runners-up respectively, while Oman and Kuwait were eliminated.
context_section_description: Hussain Fadhel's eighth-minute header had briefly dampened spirits at a sold out Melbourne Rectangular Stadium only for Massimo Luongo to set up Tim Cahill to equalise with his 37th international goal, 12 minutes before half-time. After Luongo headed home his first for the Socceroos at the end of the first half, a penalty from captain Mile Jedinak two minutes after the hour mark and a late strike from James Troisi secured all three points for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup finalists in the Group A opener. Looking to build on reaching the final of the last edition in Qatar, Australia made a bright start on a chilly evening, but the home side were stunned after just eight minutes as Fadhel stooped at the near post to direct a diving header from Abdulaziz Al Masha'an's right wing corner low past goalkeeper Mathew Ryan having broken clear of defender Trent Sainsbury. Australia were able to double their advantage two minutes after the hour mark as captain Jedinak confidently sent Hameed Youssef the wrong way from the penalty spot after Robbie Kruse had been upended by Sultan Al Enezi just inside the area.
  Kuwait came close to setting up a tense finish as only a fingertip save from Ryan turned Fahad Al Ansari's superb 71st minute effort onto the crossbar, before Australia substitute Nathan Burns followed suit soon after with an acrobatic glancing header at the other end. But it was Australia who looked the more likely to add to their lead and Troisi's close range finish in stoppage time sealed an ultimately impressive victory for the home side.
  The win meant that Australia had become the first host since Singapore back in 1984 to win the opening game of the tournament. For Kuwait, the country has failed to register a win since the 3–1 victory over the United Arab Emirates back in 2004.
  9 January 2015
  20:00 AEDT (UTC+11)
  Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
  Attendance: 25,231
  Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
caption: Match between Australia and Kuwait
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