Tim Cahill of Australia chips the ball over the Belgium defenders. Credit:Getty Images But the gulf in class between a nation ranked number five in the world and a team in transition quickly became evident as the hosts exerted themselves and took control of a game in which anything other result than a home win would have been a surprise. Postecoglou gave an Australian debut to Aston Villa utility Chris Herd at right back, while Trent Sainsbury also got his first chance to show what he could do in the national team when he lined up at centre half alongside Alex Wilkinson. Other than that the Socceroos boss relied largely on the men on whom he had put his faith in at the World Cup, with veterans Mark Bresicano and Tim Cahill still asked to supply the creativity and the goals, respectively. Belgium has been one of the big improvers in world football in the past few years and now boasts a squad of players operating at big clubs in England, Germany, Italy and Russia as well as at home.

Belgium's Dries Mertens scored the first goal. Credit:AP And it was two of them, Wolfsburg's Kevin de Bruyne and Napoli's Dries Mertens, who stamped themselves on the first half once the Red Devils began to gain the ascendency against the tough tackling Australians, who gave away numerous free-kicks, some in dangerous positions, as they sought to contain the fast breaking Belgians. The hosts took advantage of the space and time they were getting on the flanks, particularly down Australia's left, and De Bruyn took advantage of some sloppy defending after 10 minutes to fire in a shot that was scrambled clear. Ange Postecoglou looks on as his side are easily beaten. Credit:Getty Images Mat Ryan, the Australian goalkeeper who plays for leading Belgian side Club Brugge, denied Mertens four minutes later when the wide man, given too much scope, produced a shot which the keeper dived to push to safety.

Belgium took the lead they had been threatening shortly afterwards, when De Bruyne's shot struck the bar and Mertens reacted quickest, his shot looping down and then up over Ryan's head as it went in. Axel Witsel celebrates scoring the second goal. Credit:Reuters That was in the 18th minute, and Mertens went close in the 22nd with another free-kick sent just wide. The Socceroos were dangerous on occasions on the break, the first time in the 23rd minute when Mathew Leckie got round Nicolas Lombaerts on the right and cut back the ball for Cahill, whose shot was blocked. Divock Origi, the youngster recently signed by Liverpool, was then brought down on the edge of the penalty area after a loping run, but Everton man Kevin Mirallas fired the free-kick from a promising position wide.

Australia did threaten again on the break just before the half hour mark when they produced their best move of the match, stringing a number of passes together to set up Bresciano, whose shot was blocked. But the visitors chances were few and far between to this point. Mertens again tested Ryan, who pushed his shot round the post, while Origi forced the goalkeeper into action again as the Belgians continued the first-half pressure in search of a second goal. Herd's international debut proved short lived as the injury prone defender, who has played little football in recent times, went down just before the break, to be replaced by Josh Brillante. Postecoglou's team began the second half in better fashion and pressed forward more than in the opening period, but Belgium still looked comfortable in themselves. Mertens once more fired in a shot that Ryan held easily enough while De Bruyne then went round Davidson and unleashed a drive which squirmed just past the right hand post.

Bresciano - whose touch and vision is still evident despite the advancing years - gave way for Massimo Luongo and Ben Halloran came on for Tommy Oar just before the hour mark as Postecoglou looked for the German-based striker's pace to add some sparkle. Belgium took off Mertens and Mirallas, replacing them with Adnan Januzaj and Nacer Chadli, of Manchester United and Tottenham respectively - a stark illustration of the strength in depth of the two teams. Still, while the scoreline remained 1-0 Australia was still in the game although when Cahill made way for another debutant in Brad Smith it was moot to ask where any goal might possibly come from. Januzaj's through ball gave Chadli the chance to double the Belgians lead with 20 minutes to go but his shot was straight at Ryan, who was off his line smartly to save. Loading

The second goal, inevitably and deservedly, came just afterwards from midfielder Witsel. Chadli made space down the Beglian left and his cross found Witsel just inside the area. The Zenit player flicked the ball up and struck a sweet volley past Ryan to put a game which had begun to lose some of its structure after the rash of substitutions beyond doubt. Januzaj almost got on the scoresheet himself soon after, forcing Ryan to punch clear when played through on the Belgian right shortly before the end.