Soccer: Cahill double gives Australia victory

Australia's Mark Schwarzer, Tim Cahill and Lucas Neill celebrate their win over Japan. Picture / Reuters

KAISERSLAUTERN - Tim Cahill scored twice in the dying minutes to lead Australia to a stunning 3-1 win over Japan in their opening soccer World Cup Group F clash this morning.

Cahill, a midfielder for English Premier League club Everton, who came on as a second half substitute, equalised after 84 minutes following mayhem in the Japanese defence, then thundered home the second in the 89th minute with a long-range shot that went in off a post.

Fellow substitute John Aloisi completed a remarkable comeback with a third goal deep into stoppage time.

Australia, making their first appearance in the finals for 32 years, made the early running but they fell behind after 26 minutes when Shunsuke Nakamura's cross floated over keeper Mark Schwarzer into the empty net, although Schwarzer appeared to have been impeded by Atsushi Yanagisawa.

- REUTERS