The Socceroos went ahead through Scott Chipperfield after 25 entertaining minutes, then fended off a string of dangerous Uzbek attacks which yielded nothing but frustrated groans from the capacity crowd in Tashkent.

The win moved Australia into second in Group Two behind Qatar, who take on Bahrain later on Wednesday.

Uzbekistan dominated the match but their midfield industriousness was wasted after a string of disappointing crosses and poor set pieces.

Australia got their break against the run of play when Luke Wilkshire skipped over a tackle on the right from Islom Innomov to find the unmarked Chipperfield, who headed into the top left corner.

Uzbekistan heaped on the pressure and could have levelled three minutes before the break when Ulugbek Bakaev had his header blocked and fired the loose ball over the bar.

Australia should have put the game beyond the hosts in first half injury time when Mark Bresciano blasted wide a clumsy shot from 20 metres with only the keeper to beat.

Chasing a place at their first World Cup finals, Uzbekistan had more than a handful of second-half chances but were denied by desperate goal-line clearances and their misfiring marksman Maksim Shatskikh.

Uzbekistan, the best-performing side in the earlier two rounds, are rooted to the bottom of Group Two with two defeats from their opening two matches in round four.