Soccer Extreme : Tim Cahill carried his prolific club form onto the international stage as two goals from the Everton striker helped Australia down India in the AFC Asian Cup at Al Sadd Stadium.Harry Kewell and Brett Holman also found the back of the net as Australia cruised to an opening Group D victory.
Four years ago, the Socceroos laboured to a 1-1 draw with Oman but there were no such woes this time around as they outclassed a plucky but limited India side.
Cahill broke the deadlock after 11 minutes when he sidefooted home Brett Emerton's low cross inside the six-yard box after the Blackburn man had advanced unchallenged into the area.
Kewell doubled the lead in the 25th minute with a vintage strike. The former Leeds and Liverpool forward collected Luke Wilkshire's pass on the right and was afforded space to turn before unleashing a swerving left-foot drive that nestled in the far corner.
Cahill spurned an excellent chance to add a third goal after half an hour when a deflected shot broke to the 31-year-old but from close range, he prodded a weak effort that hit goalkeeper Paul Subrata and spun wide.
The Indian stopper then tipped a fierce dipping 25-yard effort from the same player over the bar after Cahill had exquisitely brought down a long ball with his chest before Holman claimed the third in first-half injury time when he beat Subrata to Emerton's cross to head home from six yards.
The second half turned out to be a more pedestrian affair with Australia largely happy to sit on their healthy lead but Cahill added the fourth goal in the 65th minute when he outjumped everyone in a crowded box to power Wilkshire's free-kick from the right into the bottom corner.