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The Socceroos have qualified for the 2014 World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Iraq, with substitute Josh Kennedy’s 83rd minute header sealing Australia’s ticket to Brazil.
The Socceroos were nearly off to the perfect start in the second minute when Tim Cahill’s curling effort looked goalbound, but Iraq captain Noor Sabri was quick to react and make a parrying save.
It was the home side who settled better and their next chance came from an unlikely source.
From an unsuccessful free kick the ball found Lucas Neill out wide and his first-time cross picked out centre-half partner Sasa Ognenovski, whose glancing header flashed over.
The penetration that Robbie Kruse and Tommy Oar provided against Jordan seemed absent, and Australia seemed to revert to their well-worn tactic of trying to find Cahill in the air.
Cahill rose well from a Luke Wilkshire corner in the 28th minute and headed down powerfully, but his header bounced comfortably in the arms of Sabri in the Iraqi goal.
Six minutes later Cahill had another chance when Sabri failed to deal with a cross from the left, with Cahill attempting an audacious over-the-shoulder volley that went inches wide of the right post.
In the latter stages of the half it was the visitors who begun to look the slicker of the two sides, particularly through 17-year-old midfielder Humam Tariq, but their chances were largely reduced to poorly executed set pieces.
The Socceroos were the first back onto the pitch but it was Iraq who created the first chance of the second period, with Saif Salman unleashing a 25-yard drive that bounced awkwardly in front of a scrambling Mark Schwarzer to make his first save of the night.
As the rain began to fall an already atrocious ANZ Stadium surface worsened and Australia’s frustration grew, as evidenced by Mark Bresciano’s wild shot from distance that flew well over.
As the hour mark passed Australia’s stagnant performance was invigorated by the introduction of Tom Rogic, who replaced Brett Holman in the 61st minute, and the Celtic midfielder’s impact was immediate.
Picking up the ball on the edge of the area, Rogic skipped between two Iraq challenges but could only slice wide off his left from a difficult angle.
Shortly afterwards the Socceroos were celebrating what they thought was the opener, but Robbie Kruse’s powerful driven effort was cancelled out for a foul by Sasa Ognenovski from the preceding corner.
An increasingly desperate Osieck replaced Cahill with Josh Kennedy with 15 minutes remaining, and soon afterwards brought on Archie Thompson for the ineffective Robbie Kruse.
But any doubt over the German’s substitutions evaporated in the 83rd minute when Bresciano picked out an unmarked Kennedy with a deft chip, and the Nagoya Grampus frontman headed down in trademark fashion to send the crowd of 80,523 into a frenzy.
Nervy moments would continue right through until the end of the third minute of stoppage time, when referee Alireza Faghani’s whistle confirmed Australia’s passage to their third successive World Cup.
It mightn’t have been the Socceroos’ most convincing performance of the campaign, but analysis can wait for another day. Tonight, Australia celebrates.
[roar_cat_gal]
There's your money shot. Off to Brazil! #GoSocceroos pic.twitter.com/LZlUG2L8HQ
— Laurence R (@MVFCLR22) June 18, 2013
Great scenes in the @Socceroos dressing room after the match #AUSvIRQ pic.twitter.com/XqM9ul09AT
— Sebastian Hassett (@sebth) June 18, 2013
Going to a world cup
— Archie Thompson (@10Archie) June 18, 2013
Somebody should make a Josh Kennedy statue… #AUSvIRQ #GoSocceroos pic.twitter.com/eB6Gb5DIrs
— Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) June 18, 2013
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