Tim Cahill found it more difficult than usual to score for the New York Red Bulls last season, but he can't stop hitting the net in his country's colors.
The New York Red Bulls star led Australia to a convincing 4-1 win over Kuwait in their opening match of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup early Friday morning, scoring the equalizer after the underdog Kuwaitis had stunned a partisan sellout crowd in Melbourne with an early corner-kick goal.
Cahill swept home a first-time finish near the penalty spot after Massimo Luongo found him with an endline cutback about half an hour into the first half, wheeling away to execute his trademark boxing celebration at the corner flag.
A Luongo header pushed the Socceroos into the lead just before halftime and the tournament hosts poured it on after the break, with Mile Jedinak and James Troisi scoring to clinch a confidence-building victory.
Australia will continue their quest for a first-ever Asian Cup championship with matches vs. Oman on Tuesday in Sydney and South Korea next Saturday in Brisbane.
Columbus Crew SC attacker Justin Meram's Iraq open their AFC Asian Cup campaign vs. Jordan in Brisbane on Monday.
