Socceroos turned it on when it mattered

Australia's players ought to be commended for keeping their heads and refusing to panic after a shambolic start against Kuwait in the opening match of the AFC Asian Cup.

Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak celebrates with team-mates after scoring against Kuwait. (AAP)

Here we go again, many must have feared after the Socceroos' second consecutive disastrous start to a major tournament in seven months.

This was a typical opening match involving the home side and an opponent that was given little hope of upsetting the applecart.

Australia went into its debut match of the competition as firm favourite to beat Kuwait in Group A that also features Korea Republic and Oman.

A noisy crowd of more than 25,000 at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium was rocked to its foundations when the plucky Kuwaitis took a shock lead with a diving header from defender Ali Hussain Fadhel after seven minutes.

It was the begining coach Ange Postecoglou would have dreaded with memories of the Socceroos' poor start in their first FIFA World Cup match against Chile in June still fresh.

To their credit, however, the players never panicked or buckled under the intense pressure.

They steadily recovered from a shaky 10 minutes or so and started to wear down the defensive Kuwaitis, whose coach Nabil Malloul acknowledged later that his players could not cope with Australia's pace and physical power.

Playing arguably the finest and most incisive football since the World Cup, the Socceroos got back into the game with two goals that were inspired by man of the match Massimo Luongo.

The home side played even better in the second half, scoring two more goals and missing at last four others due to misfortune and errant finishing.

In the end the 4-1 result gave the Socceroos the perfect tonic for the clash with the Omanis in Sydney on Tuesday and the big one versus the Koreans in Brisbane on Saturday.

The Socceroos had produced flashes of good, attacking football since the World Cup in Brazil but their date with Kuwait provided a marked improvement all over the park.

The team never lost its shape, its passing was generally slick and purposeful, while there was constant movement in midfied and in the front third that first disorientated then finally ripped the heart out of the visiting players.

It was a good night for Australia and the crowd.

Postecoglou was full of praise for his players who responded brilliantly to the early setback.

"We're pleased with the result which was a great reward for the players' efforts," Postecoglou said.

"It is not easy to play against an opponent that sits back in its own half.

"There was really good energy and intent in the tempo we played."

Postecoglou however could not hide his dismay at the sloppy way the Socceroos conceded in the first few minutes.

"Sometimes things do not go to plan and I would have preferred that we did not concede a goal," he said.

"The players were told in no uncertain terms. That goal was unacceptable.

"But if anything the Kuwait goal made the boys even more determined."

The general feeling after the match was that the Socceroos were finally showing strong signs that Postecoglou's revolution that started just over a year ago is beginning to bear fruit.

Oman will be harder to beat, that's for sure, so it would be unwise to get carried away.

One swallow does not make a summer but there was something about Australia's performance, albeit against a weak Kuwait team, that augurs well for the future.