Ange Postecoglou era off to winning start after Tim Cahill's goal silenced Costa Rica Re-live all the action from the friendly between the Socceroos and Costa Rica from Allianz Stadium. Australian coach Ange Postecoglou enjoyed a win in his first match. THE more things change, the more they stay the same. Ange Postecoglou's reign as coach of the Socceroos opened with a win over Costa Rica last night, courtesy of the most tried and trusted source of all. A Tim Cahill header with 21 minutes left meant all but a red-clad handful of the 20,165 crowd went home content. Tim Cahill has equalled the Socceroos goal scoring record after scoring against Costa Rica. Cahill's goal brought him level with Damian Mori as the Socceroos' leading scorer on 29 goals for his country, making a point after coming on as a second-half substitute. If the goal was a mite fortunate, and if Costa Rica were both understrength and underwhelming, there was still enough to savour from the home side to suggest Postecoglou's changes are taking root. A clean sheet was a welcome basis for the performance, and for patches of the game there was both control and penetration from some encouraging one-touch football. But the narrowness of the margins involved was starkly illustrated right at the start. Socceroos captain Lucas Neill has delivered an almighty spray to fans who booed him as he was leaving the Allianz Stadium pitch. "I couldn't fault the players' endeavour nor their willingness to embrace what we want to do," he said. We've worked hard this week and the players deserve their reward. Our football was ok and will get better, and our defensive pressure was first rate. We took the game to the opposition, and it set the standard for us going forward. If at times we didn't have the fluency, that's because we changed the system and the way we play. But the team tried to play football, tried to play between the lines. Asked if he feared public opinion getting carried away by the result, Postecoglou was unabashed. "Let them get carried away," he said, "we're not about taking a backward step. I'm not afraid, and if that's the case, no one should be. Socceroos captain Lucas Neill says it was a positive start under Ange Postecoglou but there is still room for improvement. I said at the start of the week that I wanted to leave this camp with the belief we were moving forward, and we are. Postecoglou also said he hoped their would be an end to the constant speculation about Lucas Neill's future, a player who he said could have quite reasonably "spat the dummy" in the face of it. Lucas led, and we had a a few willling leaders tonight. It will be really competitive to get into and stay in the squad, that's the kind of standard we want. Tim Cahill says he is honoured to equal the Socceroos' goal scoring record after netting his 29th goal against Costa Rica. Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto said he was pleased with the display of his weakened side, but praised Australia's renaissance. They knocked it around and kept possession - I like the way Australia keep the ball and move it around,' he said. Against France and Brazil they didn't show much (in losing 6-0 twice) but tonight they showed they can play. Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou joins the Fox Sports football panel after the Costa Rica clash. For so many reasons the Socceroos neeeded a bright opening - not just to emphasisie the change of coach, but also to expunge the awful memories of losing 6-0 twice in a row. Instead they almost had disaster. Shepherding a bouncing ball back towards his goalkeeper, Jason Davidson suddenly headed it over Mathew Ryan rather than to him. As the ball bounced goalwards, only Ivan Franjic's magnificently athletic clearance averted calamity. Mark Bresciano says the Socceroos are enjoying their football under new coach Ange Postecoglou. Treasuring their good fortune Australia went on the attack, searching for the first goal of the Postecoglou regime. Milligan tested the Costa Rican defence with several incisive passes - from the first, Leckie's flicked finish was saved by the goalkeeper's face, then Kruse was sent clear but after a perfect first touch, mislaid the ball with his second. Mile Jedinak's stabbed shot from a corner tested goalkeeper Patrick Pemberton, as the Socceroos manufactured chances without quite finding the key to the door. New coach Ange Postecoglou reflects on the Socceroos' performance against Costa Rica. Without the bouyancy of a goal, the tempo fell away slightlly towards halftime, the speed of transition too slow. Given the ball at speed Bresciano looked every inch a playmaker, but too often he was a heavily marked man by the time the ball was sent his way. As if to prove the point, Australia finished the half with a move of alacrity that so nearly broke the deadlock. Rapidfire passing from Jedinak to Bresciano to Kruse sent the Bayer Leverkeusen winger haring down the right, and his cross to the far post found Matthew Leckie unmarked. Party time for the Socceroos. Sadly for the Frankfurt forward, he could only find the stand behind the goal with his shot. Predictably, Postecoglou began to rotate his bench - first Ryan McGowan and then Tim Cahill came on, but it was Jedinak who almost broke through. His own power created it, executing a neat one two with Kruse before powering through two challenges but pulling his shot just wide from 20m. With an hour gone more changes appeared - Tommy Oar on for Vidosic, and to popular acclaim, Tom Rogic in place of Bresciano. Immediately it was apparent why, as the Celtic midfielder turned four players in the centre circle, strode upfield and was crudely brought down as he approached the Costa Rican box. If Jedinak's subsequent freekick was tame, the intent to attack again was there - and finally the goal arrived. Oar won a corner on the left side, and the resultant cross was met by Cahill's head at the far post, the ball striking a defender's knee and rolling inside the post. More new faces appeared - Matt McKay and Josh Kennedy on for Milligan and Kruse, and more brilliance from Rogic almost set Kennedy away, denied only by a desperate tackle from Michael Umana. But in the end, Cahill's strike was enough. Re-live our interactive blog of the match below.