Australia beat holders Iraq 1-0 to make semis

A header from striker Harry Kewell three minutes from the end of extra time gave Australia a 1-0 victory over holders Iraq in their Asian Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

The entertaining match at the Al Sadd Stadium looked to be heading to penalties after both sides squandered a number of opportunities before Kewell was left unmarked to direct his header home after a beautifully flighted ball from Matt McKay.

Australia, the best FIFA ranked side in the tournament at 26th, will play Uzbekistan in the semi-finals at the Khalifa Stadium on Tuesday (1625 GMT).

Australia enjoyed the better of the chances in the match with Kewell and left winger McKay wasting two good opportunities in the first half when they both struck shots over the bar.

Iraq’s playmaker Nashat Akram struggled to find space in the opening stages under the watchful gaze of Australia’s midfield duo of Mile Jedinak and Carl Valeri but the holders came back into the game in the second half.

Iraq wasted the best chance of the match in the 55th minute when Emad Mohammed was put clear after a neat throughball from captain Younus Mahmood but the striker angled his shot wide.

Iraq’s Mohammed Kassid continued to be the busier of the two goalkeepers but neither was called upon to make any difficult saves as both sides proved wasteful in attack.

As the match entered extra time both sides continued to press for a winning goal but Mahmood misjudged his header from close range and Jedinak deflected his team mate Sasa Ognenovski’s goal-bound overhead kick over the bar.

With penalties looming Kewell, who had become more ineffectual as the match worn on, stole away from his marker to head the winner and book Australia a place in the last four for the first time.