Midfielder Tim Cahill has repeated his World Cup heroics with a late equaliser to save the Socceroos from a humbling defeat in their Asian Cup opener against Oman.

Cahill's goal in stoppage time secured the tournament favourites a 1-1 draw with Oman after their long-awaited first steps in the Asian Cup finals looked like being towards the exit door.

Australia were rocked by a 32nd minute goal to Oman midfielder Badar Mubarak and spent most of the match staring down the barrel of an embarrassing defeat.

But Cahill, brought on in the 62nd minute for his first match in four months after recovering from a broken foot, produced a similar effort to when he saved Australia against Japan at the World Cup by banging in the late match-saver.

The result leaves all four teams in Group A locked on one point after Thailand and Iraq played a 1-1 draw in Saturday's opening match.

The Aussies will see their result as a great escape.

They never looked comfortable in stifling 34 degree heat and were kept well in check by a disciplined Oman team which defended stoically and asked plenty of questions of Australia in attack.

Harry Kewell, making his first starting appearance in more than 12 months, looked lively in the opening half and had Australia's best chance of the half after 22 minutes.

The Liverpool star got in behind Oman's defence unmarked on the end of a curling Luke Wilkshire free-kick, but it skewed off his boot and went across goal.

But soon after, Australia's defence was pulled out of shape and Oman netted an unexpected goal.

Striker Imad Ali got in behind the defence down the right and sent a ball back to the edge of the box where Mubarak had time to control and smack the ball past keeper Mark Schwarzer to score.

From there the Socceroos looked goners until Cahill bobbed up, never really looking like conjuring the equaliser they needed while having to rely on goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer to keep them in the game.

Oman had the four best chances of the second half as Australia pressed ineffectively into attack - Schwarzer having to produce three first-class saves to keep the Socceroos alive.

Ahmed Mubarak forced an early second-half save from Schwarzer after he turned defender Patrick Kisnorbo inside out, before Imad forced another stop from the Aussie keeper on 70 minutes before putting the second attempt from the rebound wide.

Then, in the midst of a huge rainstorm sweeping the stadium, Cahill came to the rescue in the first minute of injury time to keep Australia's hopes of winning alive.

Their next match is against Iraq on Friday, before their final group game on July 16 against Thailand.

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