DOHA – A 117th-minute strike from Harry Kewell powered Australia to a 1-0 quarter-final victory over holders Iraq at the Asian Cup on Saturday and into a showdown with Uzbekistan for a place in the final.
The Galatasaray forward met a pinpoint cross from Matt McKay towards the end of extra time and angled his header past Iraqi goalkeeper Mohammed Kassid to settle a match that that could have gone either way. It set them up for a semi-final against the Uzbeks on Tuesday, and avenged their 3-1 loss to Iraq in the group stage four years ago, when the war-torn country went on to win their first ever continental crown.
Both sides had chances and the Australians laid siege to the Iraqi goal for most of the second half, but they were unable to get a breakthrough in the regulation 90 minutes, sending the tie into a tense period of extra time. Australia coach Holgier Osieck was boosted by the returns of Dynamo Moscow right-back Luke Wilkshire and Blackpool defender David Carney, who were sidedlined with injuries in the 1-0 win over Bahrain.
But Blackburn Rovers midfielder Brett Emerton missed the match due to suspension. It was a turgid start, with few chances. Iraqi captain Younis Mahmood had the first real sniff of goal on 24 minutes, attempting a shot on the break, but it floated onto the top of the net without troubling veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
McKay then squandered a one-one-one chance against Iraq custodian Kassid when he dashed into the box and latched onto a deflection off a long ball, but he lifted his shot high over the bar.
Neither side was taking the initiative in a scrappy half, but the Socceroos were marginally better. In the 42nd minute, McKay brushed aside Samal Saleed to trap the ball on the edge of the area but his one-touch right-footer flew high over the bar.
Kewell’s turnaround left-foot shot in a carbon copy attack one minute later was also popped over the net, with the 32-year-old holding his head in disbelief. Kewell had another opportunity soon after the interval with his shot from the left swerving into the near side of the net.
The Lions of Mesopotamia, who scored just two goals in the group stage, all but opened their account on 55 minutes when Emad Mohammed took the ball in the box but his right-foot shot zipped past Schwarzer and off the post. The game was livening up as the clock started ticking and a McKay corner was headed back to Sasa Ognenovski in a goalmouth scramble but the big defender could only send it towards the Iraq keeper.
Soon after, Holman sent a screamer from 25 metres bouncing off an Iraqi defender and Kassid was forced to punch the ball clear in the 81st minute as Australia pressed for the winner. But it was destined for extra time, with Cahill, clearly not fully recovered from the thigh injury he picked up against Bahrain, taken off by Osieck.
Australia should have been 1-0 up on 98 minutes when Ognenovski sent a spectacular overhead bicycle kick towards the goal but Mile Jedinak got in the way and diverted the ball over the bar with his head. With the game looking like it was going to penalties, Australia shattered Iraqi dreams as Kewell stepped up to become the Socceroos’ hero.
UZBEKISTAN DOWN JORDAN TO ENTER SEMIS: Earlier, Uzbekistan wrote a new chapter in their footballing history by making the Asian Cup semi-finals for the first time with a tense 2-1 win against Jordan. Both teams were gunning for a maiden last-four berth at the continent’s premier football tournament and a brace from Ulugbek Bakaev earned his team the right to face either Australia or Iraq for a place in the final.
The former CSKA Moscow striker pounced twice in the space of three minutes soon after half-time before Jordan captain Bashar Bani Yaseen pulled one back to set up an exciting finale. Uzbek coach Vadim Abramov said he told his team to come out in the second-half and attack.
“At half-time I told them that in the first five minutes they must be strong. I told them to attack as soon as they went out and we got two goals,” he said. “It was a tough game because I think some of my players were a bit scared to play, but obviously I’m very happy.”
Asked if they could now win the tournament, he replied: “Yes, why not. From the first time I got here I said we have come here to win. It’s the same now.”
