June 15, 2008

AUSTRALIA have won through to the final stage of Asian World Cup qualifying, two Brett Emerton goals and one to Harry Kewell sealing a 3-1 victory over Qatar in Doha.

Emerton scored once in each half to bury the Qataris, while Kewell iced the result in the 74th minute to put Pim Verbeek's side a step closer to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

Qatar scored a late consolation goal through Khalfan Ibrahim in the 89th minute.

The Socceroos are now three points clear of both Qatar and Iraq, who beat China 2-1 in Tianjin to join Qatar on seven points, with one match remaining.

But with the top two advancing to the next qualifying stage, and Qatar and Iraq to play each other next week, Australia will go through regardless of their final match against China next Sunday in Sydney.

Verbeek said that Iraq's win in China had raised the stakes for his side to chase victory themselves.

"Three teams starting from seven points before this game, we knew we had to win this game," Verbeek said.

"We started very well, then we started to come a little bit under pressure.

"But second half we did very well. The goal was at the perfect time and we played very well until the last second."

The Socceroos owed plenty to goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer for the third match in four outings, the goalkeeper making three important first-half saves to keep his side a goal to the good after Emerton, despatched forward by Verbeek from his customary right-back position, had finished a nifty move on the edge of the box in the 17th minute, started by Brett Holman, to give his side the lead.

Holman found Mark Bresciano, whose centre across goal was missed by Kewell but finished neatly by Emerton.

The Socceroos were then put under heavy pressure late in the half by Qatar, with striker Sebastian Soria Quintana causing plenty of headaches.

He forced Schwarzer to tip over on 29 minutes, then nearly netted an outrageous goal five minutes before half-time when with his back to goal, swung a delicate shot just wide.

Schwarzer, in between times, denied Fabio Cesar from a free-kick - adding to his effort to stop a set-piece from Wezam Rizik early in the match.

Qatar should have equalised just after the break, but Talal Al-Bloushi headed over when he should have done better, before Emerton finished off the Qataris with a second on 56 minutes.

Kewell smacked home a left-foot volley after a defensive error 16 minutes from time to make Qatar's task impossible, though Khalfan salvaged some respectability for the home side with his late goal.


Iraq's win in Tianjin ensured China's elimination but sets up a sudden-death match between Qatar and Iraq in Dubai next week to decide the other qualifier from Group 1.