Perfect Australia down Oman 3-0 in W. Cup qualifier

Australia maintained their perfect start to World Cup qualifying with a 3-0 win over Oman on Tuesday which makes them odds-on to reach the final round. Brett Holman settled early nerves with an eighth-minute strike, although it was nearly an hour before tall striker Josh Kennedy guaranteed all three points with Australia's second. Mile Jedinak grabbed the third on 85 minutes. The Group D leaders now have a maximum nine points from three games and appear certain to progress. Captain Lucas Neill said the Asian Cup runners-up, who thrashed Malaysia 5-0 last week in a friendly, were keen to put on a good show for their home fans after last month's unconvincing win over Thailand. "The target was to win and to win well," Neill said. "We were a bit disappointed after our home game against Thailand but we played well against Malaysia on Friday and we backed it up tonight with another good win and a clean sheet. "Now we've got one foot in the next round but we've still got a lot of work to do." Coach Holger Osieck made three changes to the team that crushed Malaysia with Brett Holman and Jedinak returning to the team and Matthew Spiranovic starting in central defence ahead of Sasa Ognenovski. They opened the scoring when Glasgow Rangers' Matt McKay sneaked in behind the Oman defence and cut the ball back across goal for a simple tap-in for Netherlands-based Holman. The Socceroos maintained their dominance throughout the first half but couldn't add to their tally despite the constant attacking threat from Australia's wide players, McKay on the left and Luke Wilkshire on the right. They finally put the result beyond doubt in the 65th minute when Kennedy netted his eighth goal in his past five internationals, firing home after Wilkshire's shot was parried by Oman's England-based goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi. Jedinak completed the scoring in the 85th minute as he flicked in a curling Wilkshire free-kick from close range.