Holger Osieck has claimed his first win as Socceroos coach with his side riding their luck on their way to 2-1 victory over Poland in Krakow.
A Brett Holman strike and a Luke Wilkshire penalty was enough to see Australia home despite Brett Emerton's sending off and Poland holding sway for large portions of the match.
Osieck had watched on as the Socceroos hung on to a 0-0 draw with Switzerland on Friday in his first match at the helm, and his new team served up just as many white-knuckled defensive moments in Poland.
But while the likes of Scott McDonald and skipper Lucas Neill spurned glorious chances to score against the Swiss, Osieck had to wait just 13 minutes for the Socceroos to find the back of the net against the Poles.
After weathering a front of Polish pressure in the game's early stages, Neill showed vision to find Wilkshire on the right byline, with his cutback collected by Holman inside the area.
One of the few success stories of the Socceroos' 2010 World Cup campaign, Holman still had plenty to do but was up to the task by taking one deft touch and then firing past Poland goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton.
But Australia's joy lasted just four minutes, when Robert Lewandowski - part of a lively Poland strike troika also including Jakob Blaszczykowski and Ireneusz Jelen - steered a cross from the left past Adam Federici in Australia's goal.
Australia re-established their lead when Richard Garcia was felled in the box after 24 minutes and Wilkshire duly converted, but the Socceroos had to rely on Federici's left hand to keep hold of their advantage when Jon McKain gave away a penalty at the other end three minutes later.
One of several players handed a clean slate by Osieck, McKain - capless in four years before his start against Poland - had little to complain about with his late-reacting challenge on Blaszczykowski.
But Federici, handed his chance after incumbent No.1 Mark Schwarzer was rested, tipped Lewandowski's tame effort wide to preserve his country's advantage.
However, the Reading shot-stopper's work was far from done.
Australia lived dangerously in the second half as Poland pushed for an equaliser, with the Socceroos regularly finding themselves bogged down in their own defence.
Poland's task was made easier by the dismissal of Emerton on 70 minutes, but a combination of alert keeping from Federici and some shoddy finishing kept the home side at bay.
Emerton received two yellow cards in as many seconds, having been booked initially for holding back Blaszczykowski and then immediately after for dissent.
But fortune remained on the Socceroos' side, handing Osieck the maiden win of his new job.