Australia fought hard to hold European finalists Serbia 1-1 in the Group A opening match at the 2008 Beijing Olympics soccer tournament on Thursday.

Right midfielder Ruben Zadkovich netted in from small angle at the far post after speedy David Carney suddenly burst out three Serbian defenders before curving a wicked low cross.

The Serbs levelled from a 78-minute corner when tall central back Slobodan Rajkovic flashed a bullet header into the net.

Serbia took some advantage in their first Olympic match as an independent state aftet the secession of Montenegro in 2006, and pressured the Olyroos for the majority of the game.

Serbia's all-round midfielder Zoran Tosic attracted a lot of limelight throughout the game with his powerful shots, the even-footed winger smashed a powerful shot against the cross bar at the end of the first period.

Australia relied more on the counter attacks, a case in point is that they packed eleven players inside their box when the Serbs took a corner.

After Zadkovich's opener, the game tended to be more open, with both sides quickening the rhythm and made more attacking attempts.

Rajkovic's equalizer prevented Serbia from more wounds, as the Aussies trounced Serbia and Montenegro 5-1 four years ago at Athens Games.

(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2008)