Australia and Paraguay played out a bustling 1-1 draw at the Suncorp Stadium today in a game most notable for players making their international farewells.
Tony Popovic, one of four Australians in their final match in the green and gold, gave the hosts the lead on 88 minutes but substitute Michael Beauchamp handed the South Americans a draw with an own goal in the third minute of injury time.
Popovic, Stan Lazaridis, Tony Vidmar and Zeljko Kalac all made interim coach Graham Arnold's starting line-up in their last internationals.
Carlos Gamarra, a veteran of three World Cups, earned his 110th and final cap for Paraguay in their first match since exiting the World Cup in Germany in the first round.
An anodyne opening half burst into life in the final five minutes when Paraguay's debutant striker Oscar Cardozo tested Kalac in the Australia goal.
The 23-year-old Newell's Old Boys striker outleapt Kalac to a cross from Jose Salcedo and saw his header just clear the crossbar.
Nelson Cuevas twice scared the home defence in the opening minutes of the second half, first with a long-range effort that bobbled wide on 46 minutes before his bewitching run five minutes later was ended by Lucas Neill's last-ditch tackle.
Australia, captained for the first time by Blackburn defender Neill, responded with John Aloisi going close on 58 minutes and Marco Bresciano firing straight at goalkeeper Justo Villar on 63 minutes.
Gamarra's distinguished career ended a minute later when coach Raul Amarilla substituted the 35-year-old while Vidmar, Lazaridis and Kalac were given rapturous farewells when they were benched in the second half.
Popovic looked to have made the decisive move when his glancing header from Bresciano's free kick left Villar stranded in the Paraguay goal.
But just as the crowd were celebrating the dream ending to the 33-year-old Popovic's career, Beauchamp headed a hopeful cross into the box past Mark Schwarzer in the Australian goal in the 92nd minute to level matters.
Australia, who have already booked a place at next year's Asian Cup finals, play Bahrain in their final qualifier in Sydney on Wednesday.
