LONDON, Oct 9: Australia prepared for next month’s World Cup playoffs with a comprehensive 5-0 win over an experimental Jamaica team in a one-sided friendly at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Australia, in their third match under new Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, dominated the game at Fulham’s ground from start to finish and could have won by an even more emphatic scoreline with better finishing.

They took the lead after two minutes with a sweetly struck 20-metre curling shot from the impressive Marco Bresciano and doubled their advantage after 28 minutes when Archie Thompson picked his spot after a defence-splitting pass from man of the match Jason Culina.

Skipper Mark Viduka added the third three minutes after the break, blasting home from seven metres after Jamaica’s halftime substitute Jermaine Taylor stumbled as he tried to clear.

Viduka was replaced 10 minutes later by John Aloisi, who added Australia’s fourth from close range within 60 seconds of his arrival after more woeful Jamaican defending.

Joel Griffiths, who replaced Thompson after 71 minutes, completed the rout with Australia’s fifth five minutes from time, reacting first to a ball that bounced back off the post to score from close range.—Reuters