Brazil v Australia - Match Report

Brazil through after gritty Aussies give them a run

Five-time champions Brazil advanced to the second round of the World Cup with a hard-earned 2-0 Group F win over Australia on Sunday.

It took a 49th-minute goal from Adriano to unlock the stout Australian defence but the champions were given a big fright as Australia threw everything at them.

Substitute Fred had a simple tap in for Brazil's second on fulltime to wrap up the victory after Robinho shot struck the post.

Coach Guus Hiddink again went for all-out attack to save the match as he did in last-gasp win over Japan last weekend.

Brazil's win extended their record of successive wins at World Cup finals to nine and has them poised to top the group with next Thursday's final match with Japan.

Brazil broke the deadlock four minutes after halftime when Ronaldo cleverly held on to the ball from two defenders and laid across goal to Adriano who evaded Scott Chipperfield and fired home for his first goal of the tournament.

But the Australians earned admirers in the way they pushed the Brazilians all the way with German referee Markus Merk not giving them much with his decisions.

Ronaldo was again substituted for the second match of the tournament to whistles from the crowd, but his replacement Robinho livened up things up front.

Hiddink pitched on attackers Harry Kewell and John Aloisi into the battle in the second half and Kewell came close to scoring a couple of times.

Dida and Viduka jostled for a high ball and Kewell had an open goal with Dida out of position but blazed over the bar in the 57th minute.

Substitute Marco Bresciano and Kewell both had breakaways but Brazil snuffed them out but Australia were having more of the game.

Kewell had another chance as he was put away by Viduka and his fierce volley was just over the bar.

Hiddink went for all-out attack, like he did in the first match against Japan, and brought on Aloisi for defender Craig Moore with 20 minutes left.

Brazil coach Alberto Carlos Parreira brought on two subs minutes later bringing off Ronaldo for Robinho and Gilberto Silva for midfielder Emerson.

Robinho just missed scoring in the 77th minute with a swinging volley as Australia's defence lived dangerously.

Bresciano brought a great diving one-hand save from Dida with 10 minutes left as play swung from end to end and Viduka hit the top netting with another effort with Dida beaten.

Referee Merk dished out five yellow cards - to Australians Brett Emerton and Jason Culina and Brazilian skipper Cafu, Ronaldo in the first half and Robinho late in the game.

When the referee blew fulltime Kewell remonstrated with him for half a minute over his display before he was pulled away by a team member.