Australia 3-0 New Zealand: Joshua Kennedy grabs double to guide Socceroos to victory

Australia have defeated their trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand for the second time in a year with a 3-0 victory in Adelaide on Sunday.

Nagoya Grampus striker Joshua Kennedy scored the opening two goals of the game in his first appearance in the green and gold since last October's 1-0 win over Paraguay, and hometown boy James Troisi rounded off the scoring with a stoppage-time penalty.

The result continues Australia's recent dominance over New Zealand, having defeated the All Whites 2-1 in a 2010 World Cup warm-up game in Melbourne last year.

The Socceroos were without a host of star names including skipper Lucas Neill, Harry Kewell, Mark Schwarzer and Tim Cahill, while New Zealand had to field an injury-hit side following their long journey from the United States where they had lost 3-0 to Mexico during the week.

Australia started the match the brightest too, with Troisi flashing a volley wide before Brett Emerton fizzed another effort past the post on six minutes.

The Socceroos then took the lead after an ordinary backpass from New Zealand's makeshift full-back Jeremy Brockie, which put Moss under pressure and Kennedy pounced, taking the ball from the keeper's feet and calmly slotting into an empty net from the edge of the box.

Australia made three changes at the break, and New Zealand's Chris Wood gave them a scare 20 seconds into the second-half when he volleyed an effort narrowly over.

However, the Socceroos moved further ahead on 59 minutes when Kennedy found too much space in the box to crunch a header home from substitute Dario Vidosic's corner.

Substitute Robbie Kruse almost made it 3-0 on 71 minutes after some intricate interplay, but Moss took the ball off his feet as he tried to round the All Whites keeper.

Australia should have had an opportunity for a third when Alex Brosque appeared to be hauled down inside the box on 79 minutes but the referee waved away the appeals.

However, the win was clinched when Ben Sigmund brought down Kruse inside the box in stoppage-time, and Troisi stepped up to comfortably convert and see out the win.

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