The result of the match at Canberra Stadium now consigns Asia's No.1 ranked team to the bottom of their Asian Cup qualification group.

A first-half header from Mesaed Alenza proved the difference between the two sides but Australian coach Pim Verbeek will have a lot of thinking to do if he is to persist with playing only locally-based players in this qualification campaign.

A below-par effort in the opening match against Indonesia proved the rule rather than the exception for a disjointed Socceroos side, which struggled to create meaningful chances apart from a first-half howler from Melbourne's Grand Final hero Tom Pondeljak, who managed to miss an open net from mere metres.

Kuwait was the polar opposite. Energetic, skilful, enterprising and quick, the visitors deserved all three points and now move equal top of the group with Oman. Australia, with just one point, sits bottom a third of the way through qualifying with Indonesia on two points, above it.

Apart from Michael Zullo's optimistic effort in the first minute, it was Kuwait which did most of the attacking inside the first 20 minutes. Static build-up play from the Australians played into the visitors' hands and they had several good chances.

A busy Talal Alamer had four shots inside the first 10 minutes, the best of which was well-blocked by Craig Moore. But a minute later, an uncharacteristic Moore mistake opened the door for Walied Jumah to fire at Eugene Galekovic and the keeper could only parry it away.

Australia should have had a goal on 21 minutes when a terrible defensive mistake saw Archie Thompson facing an empty net. A desperate Kuwaiti defender denied him, but the ball rebounded to Pondeljak who somehow hit the post from about three yards out.

After a period where Australia had looked a good chance to open the scoring a foul by Moore created an opening for Kuwait from the dead ball on 37 minutes. Bader Almutwa took an excellent low free kick and Mesaed slipped in. His powerful header beat Galekovic and the visitors had a shock lead.

Pressed into action, the Socceroos almost had a quick equaliser, but Pondeljak's shot offered no great challenge to the keeper, while Matt Simon's effort on the turn was far from satisfactory. The half ended with Simon and Zullo in the book and the Australians with plenty of work to do.

Moore had a chance early in the second half but his looping header was easily stopped by Nawaf Alkhaldi. Up the other end, Bader shot over twice as Kuwait seemed less than concerned about sitting on its advantage.

Mitch Nichols came on for Paul Reid as Graham Arnold pushed his side forward in hope of an equaliser, while Kuwait coach Goran Tufedgzic replaced one striker, Hamad Alenezi, who had been booked for diving, with another Khaled Matar.

On 66 minutes, Zullo ducked inside but his header could not beat an advancing Nawaf who collected a defender in the process and injured himself. Zullo then departed for Fabian Barbiero.

Bader was causing all sorts of problems for Australia's defenders and he again shot just over on 69 minutes.

Simon missed another chance, unable to get a free header on target, while Khaled almost made good the decisionto bring him on, hitting in the inside of the post after a great build-up from Kuwait.

Long balls peppered the Kuwaiti defence for much of the final 10 minutes, but the visitors stood firm, denying the Socceroos on several occasions. Nichols summed up Australia's night. Given a gilt-edged chance with nobody near him, he fired into the crowd.

Australia 0
Kuwait 1 (Mesaed 37)
Crowd: 20,032 at Canberra Stadium