AUSTRALIA 4 THAILAND 0

FULL-TIME: Wow! australia looked confident and strong in the first half but it appeared to have all gone wrong in the second half. Yet we knocked in three goals in the dying minutes and killed off the Thai attack completely, totally against the run of play. Despite missing many top names from the starting line-up this was the strongest Australia have looked in a long time, but in the second half they just didn't get a grip of the midfield at all. Until the goals started flying in, it was the lesser names doing most of the hard work with Milligan, Beauchamp and Carney shining in green and gold. Emerton and Bresh had good games but Grella was poor, Culina was anonymous and Viduka and Aloisi seemed shut out of the first half action, and may as well have been on the bench for most of the second half. Viduka showed what he was made of when the chances finally came and Kewell and Cahill both showed their pedigree. Schwarzer had a couple of dodgy moments but kept that vital clean sheet...which is all that counts at the end of the day. All round, luck played a part in the Thais failing to score, but the potential shown by the Aussies tonight could take us to the final. The question is: what do we do with Lucas Neill now?

We have all the match action pics.
Part I is here
Part II is here
Part III is here

92 And it's all over - the Thais must be wondering what hit them and the Aussies will be delighted after their last two outings. Superb efforts in front of goal and a staunch defence were just enough to give a scoreline which flattered the Aussies, was unfair to the Thais...but will fill every green and gold heart full of pride.

91 Thai freekick on edge of the box and it's a good effort but Schwarzer makes a good save for a corner. Corner is wasted.

89 GOAL!!! Bizarre offside against Australia, but Thai heads are down and they can barely bring themselves to pass the ball. The Aussies defence cleans up, passesout to Kewell who runs at goal and slides the ball beautifully past the 'keeper. Lovely finish.

87 Holman strikes again - Wilkshire plays a lovely ball to Cahill who puts it into the box where Holman's waiting right in front of goal, an easy chance...and he manages to put it well wide.

85 Viduka's off for Holman, captain's armband goes to Grella.

84 GOAL!!!!Aussies now dominating in the Thai half - Cahill fires in a great cross from the right wing and Viduka's there to head it into the goal.

82 Thai fans can't believe it and are on their way out the stadium. All the sting has gone out of the Thai attack now and the Aussies are breathing easier. That was the frist Aussie break in about 20 minutes - and they scored.

79 GOAL!!!! Fantastic goal by Viduka against the run of play. Sheer brilliance by the skipper, delivered the ball in the box by Cahill, and he then holds onto it with marvellous strength until he finds enough space to fire in the shot. It's headed for the top left but takes a deflection and hits the net. Awesome personal effort by big Dukes.

77 Desperate defending by Australia just manages to avoid disaster in the face of a continuing Thai onslaught. We really need to get a grip here or else it's only a matter of time before the Thais get that goal. Valeri is warming up - we need to beef up the final third.

75 Carney does more good work in defence but the ball is only cleared to another red shirt which leads to another powerful shot. Schwarzer just clings onto it as a red striker runs in looking for the rebound. Let's hope the Thais have run themselves into the ground this half and run out of steam soon...

74 Cahill replaces Bresh. Viduka is hacked down in the centre circle and the Aussies get a bit of a breather at last.

72 Bresh clear in the box but the whistle goes for an accidental handball. Cahill is set to come on. And it's stopped raining. The Thais are on the attack again and set up a beautiful ball for the oncoming striker but Culina just gets in time with a superb challenege to knock it to safety. That lead looks fragile right now.

70 Aussies staying in their own half with only Viduka in the red half. Carney storms through the fancy footwork of the Thai winger to sbuff out his attack, but the Aussies again lose poession in the midfield and this time the Thais make the most of it with a scorching shot that beat Schwarzer and only just goes past the post. Phew.

68 WIlshire sends in a nice high hanging ball into the far side of the box. Kewell rises to meet it but just doesn't get high enough and it goes over. It's enough to remind Thailand of the danger the Aussies can still pose.

66 The Thais are not going down easily. Another counter is foiled only by a poor cross which is plucked out easily by Schwarzer. But it's all red at the moment.

64 Australia defence is caght stretched and out of position by a speedy Thai counter and the striker gets through to go one on one on Scwarzer but it goes straught the keeper's feet. At the other end a snap shot from Kewell is harmless.

62 John Aloisi makes the world's lowest jog off the field to be replaced by Kewell. The ref chivvies him along.

60 Thai corner comes in and it's a scramble in the box as Australia can;t clear and Thais can;t shoot. It finally goes out for a freekick but this is looking hairy. Talking of which, Harry's just about to come on.

58 Chinks in the Australian defence starting to show with poor marking around the box. Thailand still can't get a real shot on target yet though.

57 Thais playing with much more commitment but quick to look for the freekick. The ref's not falling for it. Australia coming back into the game again more now, but the Thais are still dominating.

56 Thai subs as Kewell starts his warm-up on the touchline.

53 At the other end, a shot is driven straight at Schwarzer who can't hold it, the ball comes straight back to the Thai striker but it's stolen from his toes. Thais claim for a penalty but the ref is having none of it.

52 Bresh plays a lovely ball into the box for Wilkshire who drives his shot straight at the keeper. The rebound comes back but Viduka can't get to it before the keeper manages to get it at the second attempt.

51 A red ball crossed in from the byline beats Schwazer and bobbles dangerously in the six yard box until Emerton clears it. Big sighs of relief from the green and gold. Dangerous moments here.

50 Australia not retaining possession and lucky the Thais aren't making more of their chances. It's a constant wave of red pressure around the aussie box at the moment. All that's lacking is the shot.

48 Thais are bringing it on, but the Aussie defence looks up to it at the moment, even if they are just hacking it away at any opportunity.

47 Milligan again doing a sterling job in defence, snuffing out two attacks. Corner is clleared to safety but only as far as midfield. Carney closes down the attack and it's a throw in.

46 Immediately the Aussies are on the attack and Wilkshire lets loose a cannon from outside the box but it just goes wide. Nice start.

46 No changes for either team - Aussies get us back underway again.

HALF-TIME: That's more like it, boys! The Aussies are playing with confidence and vigour. They are dominant in midfield, dangerous in attack...and at last they are confident in defence. The Thais are putting up the fight that should be expected in front of a home crowd, but the Aussies are a different side from the shameful side of the last two outings. Beauchamp and Milligan are having a great game, Bresh is looking better than he has for a long time and Carney's showing why he's so highly rated in the A-League (but has still some way to go to prove himself as an internationalist). Wilkshire's doing much better on the right than he was on left full-back. I'd like to see more from Grella and Culina, and maybe swapping Carney for Carle on the hour mark as lack of fitness kicks in for the Sydney player. An early showing for Archie might be worthwhile too to give us something fresh upfront. Overall though, more of the first half could well see us proceed into the latter stages when all looked lost. What's odd though is that we still have Cahill and Kewell on the bench...

45+2 Thai player sees yellow for his repeated tussles with Bresh - freekick given, but the ref blows for half-time before it can be taken. Aussies not happy about that and quite rightly.

45+1 The freekick is fired in, makes it past the wall...but goes wide. Schwazer was frozen to the spot.

44 The ball comes across field to Wilkshire on the right who puts it back into the box and almost finds Aloisi who looks to be fouled but nothing from the ref and the Thais clear it. Milligan fouls to snuff out the counter and the Thais have a freekick within range of the Ozzie goal.

43 Thais still putting the Australian defence under pressure but so far they're passing with flying colours, soaking up the attacks. They are still possibly defending a bit deep though and playing with fire.

41 Thais are trying to get back into the game and there's a few rouch tackles flying about on both sides. Milligan is lucky to escape a yellow - but it's the Thai player getting a warning from the ref about diving. Still no goals for Oman or Iraq.

39 Thais try to play a trick ball into space in the box but it's too clever for the rest of the team and Schwarzer can claim it unchallenged.

38 Carney has a run at the Thai defence but it just gets away from him and the defence clears.

37 Fabulous ball comes in from Wilkshire on the right wing which finds Viduka free in the box, but it's blown for offside. Borderline decision there.

35 Thais on the attack again but once more Milligan is there and volleys it forward to Aloisi who launches Bresh onto an attack. Thais clear it away though. It's VERY wet out there.

33 Nice backheeled interception by Milligan in the box. Defence is looking much more confident in this match so far.

32 Good build up play by Australia but the final cross is well defended and cleared by the Thais.

30 Milligan penalised for a push. Thais freekick taken short but gets intot he box and a shot comes in. Schwarzer just gets a hand to it and it's cleared. Sphincter flutter for the Aussies.

29 Aloisi gets a yellow for holding onto the ball after the whistle was blown. Bit of a daft yellow to give away.

28 Bresh bundled off the ball in midfield but no whistle allows Thais to run at the goal but this time the Australian defence is in place this time and stands strong.

27 Viduka lets loose a wild one from 30 yards out but just leans back as he lets go and it goes over the bar.

25 Intricate skillful play from Australia in midfield retains posession. Still 0-0 with Oman and Iraq.

24 Bresh puts in a great ball from the left wing but the defence just does enough to put Aloisi off and it goes harmlessly out.

23 And again, a great ball from the centre to the right wing who sends a very dangerous lowball into the Australian six yard box, but no-one can connect. That was very close for Australia.

23 Thais try to level immediately with a freekick near the box which is cleared by emerton but goes straight to the Thai midfield who fires in a shot but it finds Schwarzer.

20 GOAL!!!!! Wilkshire fires in a great freekick from near the centre circle which finds Beauchamp's head and knocks it into the top left corner of the net. Great goal! Could this be the turnaround at last? It's the first time they've been in front all Asian Cup

20 A poor pass is overhit into the path of the Thai striker who can't control it and it goes out for a goal kick but that could have been disastrous for Australia.

19 Carney on the wing, feeds it through to Bresh, can;t get it into the box but it comes to Culina who fires it in but it comes back off Aloisi and Thais are on the counter.

17 Thais coming back into the game more since that run of corners. Aussies look up to it, but have lost that sense of domination they had for the first 15 minutes. Thai freekick from 35 metres out is driven at the goal, but Schwarzer clutches it, despite taking a backward step towards to the goalline in the process.

16 Alosi is brought down in the centre and the ref stops play. Bresh passes to Carney who runs down the wing and it comes in but the goalmouth scramble ends with the ball in the keeper's hands.

14 Corner comes in but cleared by Wilkshire at the front post. Third corner comes to nothing. Pressure off for Oz.

13 Beauchamp makes one good tackle in the box then a bad tackle outside and gives Thailand a freekick in a very dangerous spot. It's fired in but put behind by Emerton for a corner.

12 Ref blows for a soft freekick against Beauchamp in the centre but Australia immediately recover posession. Aussies looking much better in this game. Aloisi gets free on the edge of the box, but ref bnlows for offside.

10 Carney claims posession well but Emerton gives it away needlessly and Thais look dangerous until Emerton gets back to save his own blushes.

9 It's still goalless with Oman and Iraq.

8 Reds throw in in the final third and a misfired cross turns into a very dangerous cross which had Schwarzer beaten but luckily just goes past the post instead.

7 Bresh sends in a great cross from the left byline and it floats dangerously in the box but the keeper just manages to scramble it away before an Aussie can connect.

6 Aussies are looking up for this match, playing with pace, energy and commitment so far.

5 Chipped in but easily cleared. Thais defending in numbers.

4 Bresh is brought down just outside the box - promising free kick - carney takes it.

3 Wilkshire's corner comes back for a throwin which finds Grella who unleashes from a way out and skies it over the bar.

2 Aloisi flicks on the goalkick to Viduka who finds space but just doesn;t quite get enough power onto it and its padded away to safety for a corner.

2 Partisan crowd are cheering every Thai touch. It's an Aussie goal kick.

1 Australia immediately try to turn on the pressure and win a throw-in but Thais in red recover and launch an attack, snuffed out well by Carney.

0 And we're off - Thailand kick-off. Oops, we're not - Ref blows for a re-take. Dear god...

It's showtime for this new-look line-up - could be a great chance for the new faces to prove themselves and write themselves into Aussie history...or it could be disaster. We'll find out now...

It's anthem time - how many verses are we getting today? oh, just the one.

They're coming onto the pitch and the conditions are miserable.

It's pouring with rain in Bangkok - will that help or hinder our boys?

Australia line-up:
Schwarzer, Culina, Beauchamp, Emerton, Wilkshire, Viduka, Grella, Aloisi, Carney, Milligan. Bresciano

We have all the match action pics.
Part I is here
Part II is here
Part III is here