The Socceroos have strengthened their hold on an automatic qualification spot for next year’s FIFA World Cup, overcoming a shaky start to see off Indonesia 5-1 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. After entering the encounter with a one-point lead over four teams in the hunt for safe passage through to next year’s event, Australia will head to China still in command of second spot in their Asian qualifying group. Australia survived an early onslaught and a missed penalty from the visitors, but Martin Boyle’s spot-kick and Nishan Velupillay’s composed finish three minutes apart were a desperately-needed circuit-breaker. Jackson Irvine nabbed his 12th goal for his country to ensure three points were all but guaranteed by half-time, before Lewis Millar added a fourth and while Ole Romeny found the net for the away side, Irvine scored another late. Despite the Sydney setting, the thousands upon thousands of Indonesian fans filled the stadium and made it feel like the Socceroos were in enemy territory, a red sea of supporters greeting the hosts with waves of boos. And the visitors embraced what would have felt like home-ground advantage to put Australia on the back foot early. Jay Idzes had Australian hearts in mouths five minutes in when he rose up to steer Calvin Verdonk’s free-kick goalwards, but Mat Ryan expertly palmed the ball over the bar. And two minutes later, heads were in hands among the green and gold cohort when Cameron Burgess misjudged a bouncing ball and Kye Rowles brought down Brisbane Roar attacker Rafael Struick. Referee Adham Makhadmeh pointed to the spot, but Kevin Diks’ penalty clanged off the post — and it was one-way traffic thereafter. Australia looked shaken from their opponent’s early chutzpah, but stirred in the 18th minute when the Video Assistant Referee spotted Nathan Tjoe-A-On rugby-tackling Millar and Boyle succeeded where Diks had failed. Two minutes later the Socceroos went 2-0 up when Thom Haye’s attempt to tackle Adam Taggart ended in him inadvertently smashing the ball in behind his own defence, and Velupillay kept his cool one-on-one. The goals allowed Australia to control the tempo as Indonesia looked dazed and confused, their boisterous travelling support taken out of the game by the Socceroos’ double-salvo. The clever, enterprising runs of Romeny looked like Indonesia’s best route to goal, but Jason Geria dealt with the threat confidently. Just when the game had settled, Australia put the result beyond doubt in the 34th minute when the impressive Veluppilay picked out Irvine between the lines on the edge of the box. The midfielder swivelled and found Millar, whose cross deflected into Irvine’s path and the veteran saw his initial shot saved but collected his own rebound before dispatching the ball into the net. Perhaps with one eye on Tuesday’s game in China, Popovic brought off Boyle and Taggart after impressive opening stanza stints for Craig Goodwin and Brandon Borrello. And it was Goodwin who helped make it 4-0 in the 61st minute when his in-swinging corner was met by a diving Lewis Miller and directed into the net. Their clean sheet was spoiled in the 77th minute when Romeny pulled one back, stealing in front of Geria to fire home. Ryan was kept on his toes in goal as Indonesia pushed for a second, pulling off a fine one-handed save from Tjoe-A-On before Irvine nodded home another corner.