Verbeek said the game offered some positives for his team but was concerned the Socceroos gave the ball away too much.
"The organisation was not good, the first goal was a present ... I think we need to keep the ball better as a team," he told reporters after the match.
U.S. coach Bob Bradley said the friendly was a "good tune-up" but added his main concern had been to get through the game without any major injuries.
American captain Carlos Bocanegra, struggling with a hernia, played for 55 minutes but Australia's injury concern Harry Kewell (groin) remained a spectator throughout.
Striker Edson Buddle opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a well placed drive past Australian Mark Schwarzer's outstretched left arm and the U.S. looked the stronger team for most of the first half.
But he could not stop Buddle's headed second just after the half-hour and substitute Herculez Gomez sealed the victory in time added on.
Australia, who arrived first in South Africa for the June 11-July 11 tournament to better acclimatise to Johannesburg's high altitude climate, created few chances to start with but looked more dangerous in the second half.
