The hosts couldn't convert their 70 per cent possession on the Gold Coast on Thursday night, barely troubling the Bahrain goalkeeper before conceding an 89th-minute own goal.
Striker Kusini Yengi was red-carded after 77 minutes when his boot grazed the chin of an opponent in a battle for a loose ball, the incident coming in a chaotic conclusion the Socceroos admit they handled poorly.
World No.80 Bahrain's gamesmanship began to frustrate the Socceroos, ranked 56 spots higher at 24, who couldn't convert their possession and territory into a goal that would have changed the complexion of the contest.
The visitors did their best to take time off the clock and their theatrical reaction to contact wasn't received well by the Socceroos.
They had the last laugh though, Abdulla Alkhalasi's cross deflecting off Harry Souttar's leg and beating Mat Ryan on his near post for a goal against the run of play.Â
Australia coach Graham Arnold (left) and assistant coach Rene Meulensteen watched on nervously. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)
It was the first goal Australia had conceded in qualifying after keeping clean sheets in all six second-round victories.
Coach Graham Arnold said the ball was only in play for 46 minutes, lamenting that Bahrain's "play-acting" was part of the game that his men had to rise above.
"It didn't work for us, it worked for them," he said.
The Socceroos leave for Jakarta on Friday ahead of a clash with Indonesia on Tuesday in the second of 10 third-round qualification games.Â
Only the top two teams in a pool that also includes heavyweights Japan and Saudi Arabia will earn direct entry to the 2026 showpiece.
Japan have already made a statement start, beating the other team in the group, China, 7-0 in Saitama on Thursday.
"Not good enough," goalkeeper Ryan said.Â
"We were too naive in how we played the game. It's not a case of needing to work harder, but needing to work smarter.
"We didn't ask enough of the right questions ... the goal we conceded is not good enough but those things happen if you're not doing the other things well enough.
"If you don't get that first goal and they stay compact ... the time-wasting comes into it, the acting, going to ground.
"We've got to deal with those situations better and more maturely and not put ourselves in a situation where that becomes a factor.
"Tonight we didn't and we've been punished for it."
"We know that this is what Middle Eastern Football is about. I've got my own opinions on that type of Football... We have to focus on ourselves & we have to be better than we were tonight." — 10 Football (@10FootballAU) @Socceroos Craig Goodwin to Scott Mackinnon.💻📱: https://t.co/d2z8qlUYgt #AUSvBHR pic.twitter.com/bf1FN7ybIcSeptember 5, 2024
Arnold disputed the suggestion Australia have a systematic issue in their front third.
"They parked the bus, six at the back, had numbers," the coach said.
"These types of things happen in football, it's how you get over it."
Arnold said Craig Goodwin "copped a knock" in the first half before his second-half substitution while midfielder Keanu Baccus (hamstring) and right-back Lewis Miller (knee) will be racing the clock to be available after injuries ruled them out on the Gold Coast.
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