Tinkered tactics, technical deficiencies and a team without its top players has left the Socceroos with much to think about after their 3-1 loss to Turkey at Aussie Stadium.

The second-string Australians were largely second rate as Galatasaray great Hakan Sukur scored a second half double to help the world No.7 ranked team to a commanding win in game one of their two-match series.

The Turks dominated for most of the match, the Australians struggling to match the 2002 World Cup semi-finalists for vision, ability and sheer goal-scoring nouse.

Without ten squad regulars and with little match practice the Australians were always up against it but coach Frank Farina's decision to go with one striker left the home side lacking clout until he brought on Max Vieri up front in the second half.

By then the Turks were well in stride, Sukur breaking a 1-1 deadlock in the 69th minute when fellow forward Hasan Sas capitalised on a Marco Bresciano mistake before the pair combined again seven minutes later to shut down the match 3-1.

Sas summed up Australia's predicament in part after the match.

"They rely on their physical nature, technically they are not as good as they should be," he said of the Socceroos.

Farina said his side had much to improve on for the second match.

"I felt the first half we most probably didn't come to grips with it too well," he said.

"The reality is if you make mistakes like that against a quality side they will punish you."

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