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Australia snatched a last-minute 2-1 win over New Zealand in their World Cup warm up match on Monday.

The All Whites looked set to spoil Australia's farewell bash in front of 55,659 fans before substitute Brett Holman scored the winner in the fourth minute of injury time after the Socceroos had trailed for much of the match.

New Zealand, playing Australia for the first time in five years, took the lead in the friendly at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after a 16th-minute strike by Middlesbrough's Chris Killen.

The Socceroos, ranked 58 places above the Kiwis in 20th spot, equalised in the 57th minute through Dario Vidosic and the game looked set to finish in a stalemate before Holman's late intervention.

Holman, who plays his club football in the Netherlands, latched on to a chip kick from Carl Valeri to beat All Whites goalkeeper Mark Paston with the last kick of the match.

It was a fiercely contested friendly just three weeks out from the World Cup with five yellow cards, four of them to the Australians, who face Germany in their tournament opener in Durban on June 13.

New Zealand, playing in their first World Cup since 1982, take on Slovakia in Rustenburg on June 15.

The All Whites had the better first-half chances and rocked the Socceroos when Killen got to Shane Smeltz's headed flick first to beat Adam Federici on his international debut in the 16th minute.

The Australians lost their cool and had three yellow cards in seven minutes with defensive midfielder Vince Grella fortunate not to be sent off for his lunging two-footed tackle on Leo Bertos.

Milligan was cautioned for bringing down Tony Lochhead and Bertos had to be stretchered off with a gashed right leg when he was felled again, this time by Tim Cahill.

Teenager Tommy Oar was also yellow carded for Australia along with New Zealand substitute Andrew Boyens.

Middlesbrough striker Scott McDonald's international goal drought continued when he fired over the bar when he was unmarked on the far post in the 37th minute.

McDonald has yet to score in 16 internationals for Australia.

Coach Pim Verbeek made five substitutions at halftime bringing on Holman for Cahill, Mile Jedinak for Mark Bresciano, Michael Beauchamp for Craig Moore, Carl Valeri for Grella and Brad Jones in goal for Federici.

Australia equalised in the 57th minute after Jason Culina's pass was deflected by Killen into the path of Vidosic, who beat Paston from a sharp angle.

Substitute goalkeeper Jones kept Australia in the game with a point-blank save off a Rory Fallon header in the 70th minute as McDonald made way for Nikita Rukavytsya.

Verbeek mothballed first-choice stars, Luke Wilkshire, Brett Emerton, Scott Chipperfield and Josh Kennedy while goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and Harry Kewell were not considered because of injuries.