Uruguay beat Australia after goalkeeper blunder

Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones (R) holds his head after letting through the second Uruguay goal as the Uruguay team celebrate during their football friendly at Telstra Stadium in Sydney. Jones dropped a clanger to allow Uruguay to come from behind and beat Australia 2-1 in a football friendly.

Understudy goalkeeper Brad Jones dropped a clanger to allow Uruguay to come from behind and beat Australia 2-1 in a football friendly here on Saturday.

The Socceroos, gearing up for July's Asia Cup without seven of their European stars, took a shock seventh-minute lead and controlled most of the opening half.

But the Uruguayans, tuning up for the Copa America, hit back with goals from team mainstays Diego Forlan and Alvaro Recoba for their first win in Australia in five matches.

Australia looked set for a deserved draw before Jones, getting a rare appearance in place of Middlesbrough team-mate Mark Schwarzer, missed substitute Guillermo Giacomazzi's cross for Recoba to nod home into an empty net 13 minutes from the final whistle.

Mile Sterjovski(L) of Australia beats Uruguay goalkeeper Fabian Carini(R) to score the team's first goal during their Asian Cup warm-up football friendly in Sydney. Uruguay won the match 2-1.

"I very was happy with the result and the movement at times," Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez said, adding the team only got together a little ahead of matches as the players ply their trade abroad.

"I was very happy with Pablo Garcia's performance. He came into the game with some injuries and a lot of other problems and Cristian Rodriguez making his debut did very well for a young player.

"I was very happy with the way Recoba and Forlan combined and understood each other again, that was very evident especially in the first goal."

The Australians, playing without World Cup stars Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Mark Bresciano, Vince Grella, Tim Cahill, John Aloisi and Schwarzer, struck early when Basel's Mile Sterjovski scored after a goalmouth scramble.

A cross by Blackburn Rovers midfielder Brett Emerton from the right had defenders Diego Lugano and Carlos Diogo in all sorts of bother and goalkeeper Fabian Carini was unable to clear.

Luke Wilkshire(L) of Australia makes an unsuccessful shot on goal toward the Uruguay defence during their football friendly at Telstra Stadium in Sydney. Uruguay won the match 2-1.

Sterjovski rammed the ball into the net at his third attempt.

Inter Milan's Recoba took more control of the midfield in his roaming role and his long-range free kick was headed just wide by skipper Lugano, before Recoba found unmarked Diego Forlan five minutes before half-time.

Forlan, who missed the 2005 World Cup playoff here, which propelled Australia into their first World Cup finals in 32 years, only arrived Thursday.

Recoba rolled the ball across the Australian goal and defender Patrick Kisnorbo failed to clear, allowing Forlan to slot home from close range.

Another teasing Recoba free kick caused problems in the home defence minutes later and Dario Rodriguez's header was palmed clear by goalkeeper Jones diving to his right.

But Jones brought groans from the 61,000 crowd when he flapped at Giacomazzi's cross, gifting Recoba an easy headed chance to give Uruguay the winning goal 13 minutes from time, which he duly took.

Australia's head coach Graham Arnold, who intends to name his Asian Cup squad at the end of next week, said it will be a test of adversity for Jones.

"I will have a chat with Brad. These things happen in football and he's not the first goalkeeper who's ever done it and he won't be the last.

"It's going to be a huge test of character for Brad because in adversity you have to fight back again and fortunately it happened in a friendly match, it's happened when he can learn from it."

The Australians, testing their reserve depth ahead of their first foray into July's Asian Cup, have a final warm-up game against Singapore on June 30.