Brett Holman - the man Australia fans love to hate - scored his second goal in 30 international appearances to give the Socceroos an undeserved 2-1 victory over a plucky New Zealand in their World Cup farewell friendly at the MCG on Monday night.
Holman, who has been regularly criticised for his inability to score for his country over the years, almost certainly played his way into Pim Verbeek's final 23-man squad by ghosting to the far post and finishing superbly with a half volley with the last kick of the game after also starting the move which was set up by a superb lob from Carl Valeri.
But, while the Socceroos ultimately got the job done in the first of three friendlies they will play before their second successive World Cup appearance in June, for most of the night they struggled against a modest but brave New Zealand team that at 78 is ranked 58 places below them on FIFA's rankings.
It certainly wasn't a performance that will have group opponents in South Africa in Germany, Serbia and Ghana shaking with fear as Australia went behind to a New Zealand side that has just qualified for its first World Cup in 28 years but had six A-League players and one New Zealand-based club player in its starting XI.
It took a debut goal from young midfielder Dario Vidosic to bring Australia back on level terms after Chris Killen's first-half goal had put the Kiwis - who famously knocked Australia out of the 1982 and 1990 World Cups and also beat the Socceroos in the 1999 and 2002 Oceania Nations' Cup Finals - on course for another shock win against the old enemy.
While the Kiwis were virtually at full strength with 10 of the 11 that started in November's 1-0 win over Bahrain that clinched their World Cup berth on display - Australia badly missed first-choice players Mark Schwarzer (thumb), Harry Kewell (groin), Brett Emerton (hamstring), Josh Kennedy (back soreness) and rested defenders Luke Wilkshire and Scott Chipperfield.
And veterans Craig Moore, Mark Bresciano and Vince Grella - all of whom have played very little recent club football - all looked badly in need of the run.
Australia's first-half performance had to be seen to be believed as the Socceroos produced one of their worst halves since coach Pim Verbeek took over.
The game began at a crawl but after Tim Cahill - who along with David Carney was the only Socceroo to offer anything productive in the first 45 minutes - almost got in behind the New Zealand defence in the ninth minute, the underrated visitors exploded into life.
Vice-captain Tim Brown shot just wide in the 11th minute to fire the first warning before the Kiwis struck in the 16th minute with a move as simple as it was effective.
A free-kick by veteran Simon Elliott was flicked on by Shane Smeltz with Killen then beating Mark Milligan to the ball at the far post and placing it expertly past debutant 'keeper Adam Federici, who came out to intercept but had no chance.
The goal rattled the home side and Mark Milligan was booked before Vince Grella should have been sent off for a terrible two-footed lunge on Leo Bertos right on the touchline.
Incredibly the midfield veteran - who complained at Kiwi Rory Fallon's suggestion during the week