Kewell goal enough for Socceroos against Iraq

AUSTRALIAN footballing golden boy Harry Kewell, has given the Socceroos a 1-0 win over an unlucky Iraq. This result puts them within one win of securing their spot in the next round of the Asian World Cup qualifying zone.
Video: Aus v Iraq full match highlights

Free agent Kewell played his heart out for the Green and Gold and capped off a fine performance by heading home the only goal of the game in the 47th minute thanks to an accurate cross from Brett Emerton.

Kewell played up front to form a strike partnership with Scottish Premier League golden boot winner, Scott McDonald, and was involved in everything as Australia took a strangle-hold of Group A with 7 points after three games.

Despite the win, the Socceroos were lucky to keep a clean sheet as they endured numerous lapses in defence. If it wasn’t the poor finishing of the Iraqi strikers or the fantastic glove-work of veteran Mark Schwarzer, the men from the middle-east could easily have scored 3 goals but it wasn’t to be.

Iraq really should have silenced the close-to 50,000 Brisbane crowd in the first 45 minutes but they spurned a hat-trick of chances as the back four looked shaky in the absence of Lucas Neill.

Emad Mohammed smashed his shot against the crossbar after only 4 minutes and then forced a save from Schwarzer when stayed onside to be one on one with Australia’s penalty-save hero against China in their last qualifying match.

Younis Mahmoud should have opened the scoring in the 36th minute with a header from 6 yards when he escaped the notice of Beauchamp and North.

But it would only be a matter of time until Harry Kewell came to the party when he put the Aussies ahead with a fine header from 10 yards out which left the keeper planted to the spot only 2 minutes after the restart.

Kewell should have made the game safe in the 66th minute but he missed a close range shot by passing into the arms of the grateful Iraqi keeper.

Pim Verbeek decided to rest Harry for next weeks match against Iraq by substituting him in the 75th minute and opting for a defensive approach, but this only lifted the Iraqi cause as they created another hat-full of chances.

After three games in qualiying, this result gives the Aussies seven points therefore only need one more win to make sure they end up in the top two countries of Group A.

They now head to Dubai where they will play Iraq again in the away fixture of the first phase of qualifying.

The match is scheduled for Saturday June 7.

Written by
Real Football