Kuwait go agonisingly close to a consolation goal as a cross from the left takes a touch in the box and drops just out of Al Hajeri's reach at the far post.
83'
Sultan Al Enezi gets yellow.
Yellow now for Al Enezi following a kick on Mabil on the touchline.
82'
M. Amini enters the game and replaces J. Irvine.
J. Jeggo gets yellow.
Jeggo dives in on Al Harbi and picks up a yellow card.
Irvine, one of Australia's standout players, earns a reprieve in the final stages. Amini comes into the engine room.
80'
Ten minutes left to play in Kuwait City. Australia's hopes of increasing the margin after half-time yet to be realised.
77'
Faisal Al Azemi enters the game and replaces Husain Al Mosawi.
What looks to be a bad case of cramp ends Al Mosawi's match. Replacing him is Al Azemi.
75'
The amount of chasing Kuwait have had to do appears to be taking its toll. They're really lacking intensity off the ball, although Australia aren't playing at any great pace either.
70'
Play has resumed following the game's second drinks break. Australia continue to lead 3-0, the score remaining as it was at half-time.
69'
A. Mabil enters the game and replaces M. Leckie.
There will be no hat-trick for Leckie. He makes way for Mabil, a star performer at the Asian Cup in January.
68'
A. Giannou enters the game and replaces A. Taggart.
Arnold calls on his bench for a double change, the first of which sees Giannou replace Taggart at the point of attack.
Minute
Description
67'
Mooy and Irvine seem to have swapped roles, with the former moving into a more advanced position after initially starting alongside Jeggo.
63'
Ryan thwarts Nasser for a second time. Instinctive play from the forward, anticipating Sainsbury's heavy touch and performing a contortionist act to get a decent first-time effort on goal.
61'
An hour played now in sapping conditions. Arnold must be close to making his first change of the match.
56'
Kuwait are posing more problems for the Socceroos since head coach Jozak turned to his bench at the break. Still plenty of work to do if they're to make inroads into the three-goal deficit.
53'
Mooy goes close! The midfielder lifts a free-kick over the wall but it fades marginally wide of the left upright.
51'
Al Mosawi threatens for Kuwait! The striker lets Al Mutawa's pass drop over his shoulder before unleashing a shot which whistles past Ryan's near post.
48'
Al Harbi loses possession in Australia's attacking half and trips up Taggart, who was helping out his midfield.
46'
Bader Al Mutawa enters the game and replaces Shereedah Al Shereedah.
Yousef Al Sulaiman enters the game and replaces Abdullah Mawei.
Back underway as Kuwait trail Australia 3-0. Romeo Jozak has made two changes in a bid to spark the hosts into life.
The vastly experienced Al Mutawa replaces Al Shereedah in attack.
Kuwait's other change at the interval sees Nasser, scorer of a brace against Nepal, come in on place of Al Mutairi, who was on a booking.
45' +2
HALF-TIME: KUWAIT 0-3 AUSTRALIA
45' +1
Al Mosawi tries his luck with a long-range free-kick which sails comfortably over the bar. Might have been better dropping that into the penalty area.
44'
A. Taggart gets yellow.
Kuwait win the ball and begin to break through Al Mutairi, until Taggart holds him back. The South Korea-based striker is shown a yellow card, Australia's first.
42'
The quick release almost sets Al Mosawi in on goal but the ball sticks in the turf and he can't take it with him.
40'
Five minutes left in the first half and Socceroos boss Arnold can be very satisfied with how comfortable his team are looking.
38'
A. Mooy has scored a goal for Australia!
GOALLL!!! Sensational from Mooy! Abdulghafoor loses his feet as he comes to punch a Grant cross. Taggart cushions the loose ball and sets up midfielder Mooy, who guides a sublime effort from beyond the box into the top right corner. Australia have taken command with a 3-0 lead.
36'
Irvine fires wide! The Hull City man has been his team's best and goes close to grabbing a goal as he meets Behich's cut-back, but his left-footed finish is the wrong side of the near post.
35'
Ryan claims a long ball in behind the Australia defence and recycles possession quickly. The visitors not content with a two-goal lead before the break.
32'
A chance for the home crowd to get excited as Al Mutairi advances into the box. There are half-hearted appeals for a penalty when his cross strikes Behich, but replays showed it hit the left-back's stomach.
30'
M. Leckie has scored a goal for Australia!
GOALLL!! Leckie sniffs out his second from another corner to give Australia that 2-0 advantage on the half-hour mark. Positioned in front of the goalkeeper, all the winger had to do with was swivel onto Irvine's downward header from Mooy's right-sided delivery.
29'
Mooy is seeing plenty of possession. His latest pass, a beautiful sweeping switch out to Grant on the right, earns Australia a corner.
27'
Both sets of players are taking a drinks break. Good chance for Kuwait to regroup after a testing start on home soil.
24'
Mooy, now of Brighton, sees a stinging shot blocked around 20 yards from goal.
22'
Al Dhefiri coolly takes down a Behich cross and Kuwait build through midfield, but the promising passage eventually breaks down.
19'
Borrello slips a smart pass into the feet of Irvine, who spins and scoops his shot comfortably over the crossbar.
18'
Australia are willing to sit off when Kuwait have the ball, perhaps due to the heat, but are moving forward with speed in possession.
12'
That goal is just the start Australia wanted after three scoreless international outings. It's Leckie's 10th for the Socceroos.
11'
Abdullah Mawei gets yellow.
Al Mutairi goes into the referee's notebook after leaving a foot in on Degenek.
7'
M. Leckie has scored a goal for Australia!
GOAL!!! Australia open the scoring through captain Leckie, although he didn't know much about it. Mooy's corner was cleared up in the air as far as Irvine, whose left-footed volley bounced in off his team-mate's shin at close range. The visitors lead 1-0.
5'
Grant goes too early and is flagged for offside, bringing an end to an Australia attack.
3'
Ryan briefly hesitates over whether to come for a cross into the box, creating a moment of confusion, but Degenek clears without much fuss.
1'
We're underway in Kuwait City! Sweltering conditions for this World Cup qualifier.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this World Cup qualifying encounter between Kuwait and Australia!
The road to Qatar begins here for the Socceroos, in the Asian Football Confederation's second round. Graham Arnold's men have played once – a 1-0 friendly defeat to South Korea – since losing out in the Asian Cup quarter-finals in January. Can they get on the same wavelength for this awkward start in Group B?
Kuwait are high on confidence after crushing minnows Nepal 7-0 last week. The result gives them a three-point head start on Australia and handy goal difference, which is six better than second-placed Jordan. Upsetting the Socceroos would be a huge boost to their bid for a top-two finish.
AUSTRALIA XI (4-2-3-1): Mat Ryan; Rhyan Grant, Milos Degenek, Trent Sainsbury, Aziz Behich; Jackson Irvine, James Jeggo; Mathew Leckie, Aaron Mooy, Brandon Borrello; Adam Taggart.
AUSTRALIA SUBS: Brad Smith, Thomas Deng, Massimo Luongo, Jamie Maclaren, Graig Goodwin, Mitchell Langerak, Apostolos Giannou, Mustafa Amini, Andrew Redmayne, Ajdin Hrustic, Awer Mabil, Harry Souttar.
Kuwait netted seven against Nepal less than a week ago but have really struggled to string together any meaningful passing moves in this match. That will be a focus after the break. Australia will want to do their goal difference a few favours, while Arnold will be tempted to give minutes to youngsters like Hrustic and the uncapped Souttar.
KUWAIT XI (4-2-3-1): Sulaiman Abdulghafoor; Fahad Al Hajeri, Hamad Al Harbi, Fahad Hammoud Alrashidi, Amer Al-Fadhel; Sultan Al Enezi, Faisal Al Harbi; Ahmad Al Dhefiri, Abdullah Al Mutairi, Shereedah Al Shereedah; Husain Al Mosawi.
KUWAIT SUBS: Bader Al Mutawa, Dhari Said, Hameed Youssef, Fahad Al Ebrahim, Yousef Nasser, Hussain Kankone, Faisal Al Azemi, Redha Abujabarah, Ali Khalaf, Mobarak Al Faneeni, Eid Al Rashidi.
For now, thanks to their huge win over Nepal, Kuwait remain top of Group B. That could change in October: Australia face Nepal and Chinese Taipei, while Kuwait must visit Jordan. There are eight games in total to be played in this second phase.
That wraps up our coverage of a steady start for Australia on the road to Qatar. Thanks for your company. Until next time, goodbye!
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