Braziliant! Socceroos seal Cup spot

The Socceroos have stepped out to meet their fans at Circular Quay, Sydney following their win over Iraq.

The Socceroos book their spot in next year's Brazil World Cup after holding off a brave Iraq side in Sydney.

Socceroos coach Holger Osieck praises his troops and reflects on what it means to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Josh Kennedy celebrates his goal for Australia during the World Cup Qualifier between the Socceroos v Iraq at Stadium Australia, Sydney Olympic Park. Picture: Evans Mark Source: The Daily Telegraph

Australia's Tim Cahill has a shot at goal during the World Cup qualifier between Australia Socceroos and Iraq at Stadium Australia, Homebush, Sydney. Picture: Costello Brett Source: The Daily Telegraph

Sasa Ognenovski heads over the bar during the World Cup Qualifier between the Socceroos v Iraq at Stadium Australia, Sydney Olympic Park. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph

• Watch a full replay of the match below on News+ websites (Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph and Courier-Mail)

WELL, you didn't really doubt them did you? The team that likes to do it the hard way is going to the World Cup, but guess what? They did it the hard way.

An 82nd-minute goal from Josh Kennedy punctured Iraq's resistance, earning the Socceroos the narrowest of wins.

But ultimately no one cared about the margin, for the win was enough to confirm a third consecutive appearance at the World Cup finals.

Kennedy had only been on the pitch for five minutes, introduced for Tim Cahill to the latter's annoyance, when he met Bresciano's right-wing cross with a thumping downward header.

Socceroos seal World Cup spot

Every member of the squad and the coaching staff ran with delirium to the corner, bar coach Holger Osieck, who stood with his arms aloft. Minutes later the whole crowd followed suit, and the party was under way.

There was no surprise at Osieck's naming of an unchanged team after the quality of the two most recent performances, and this time there weren't early nerves from the green and gold. The crowd craved an early goal and it so nearly came as Australia hit their stride instantly.

Lucas Neill's astute pass found Robbie Kruse in space and he combined brilliantly with Cahill to work an opening for the latter, only for his goal-bound shot to be turned aside spectacularly by Noor Sabri in the Iraqi goal.

Across the pitch there was good movement, with Brett Holman constantly looking to link with Kruse, and Waleed Salim Edwereag incurring a yellow card for a lunging tackle on Tommy Oar.

The first half from the Socceroos' must-win final game in their FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign against Iraq.

Just before the quarter hour the breakthrough almost came from an unlikely source, as Mark Bresciano found Neill on the right for a cross that Sasa Ognenovski met with a wasteful diving header.

Kruse was the go-to man, flitting constantly to find space and demanding the ball, while Cahill roamed deep and wide to disrupt the Iraqi defence.

Holger hails resilient Kennedy

It was the New York Red Bulls star whose clever pass released Holman into the box, but he was denied by a desperate tackle from Ali Adnan Kadhim.

Then on 35 minutes Cahill was a whisker away with a hooked volley over his own shoulder after Noor spilled Matt McKay's looping cross.

The second half from the Socceroos' must-win final game in their FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign against Iraq.

From Iraq there was little real threat during the opening stanza, bar one glorious cross-field ball from Saif Salman Hashim, and errant backpasses on a surface that invited suspicion were the greatest threat to Mark Schwarzer.

But as the half ended Noor's only real alarm remained the early shot from Cahill, despite long periods of pressure from the home team.

Schwarzer would be tested within seconds of the restart though, thanks again to carelessness in his own defence. Three times the ball was given away and finally Salman took the invitation to let fly with a skidding shot the goalkeeper did well to hold.

As the rain came down, the game opened up.

Relieved Socceroos let off steam

Oar brought the crowd to their feet with a barnstorming run, then Iraq broke with pace and only Neill's astute positioning denied Dhurgham Ismael Dawood.

Emboldened, Iraq began to play with verve through midfield with Salman's vision sparking alarm in the home ranks. The Socceroos' own playmaker, Bresciano, sought to reply in kind with a rasping drive over the bar from 20m, then creating space for a low cross that Noor dived to gather.

On the hour Osieck made his move and Tom Rogic came on to acclaim. Within seconds the 20-year-old was marauding through the Iraqi defence, and from a subsequent corner Australia thought they had the lead.

Wilkshire's delivery was headed up by Cahill and volleyed spectacularly into the top corner by Kruse, only for referee Faghani Alireza to pull up Ognenovski for a foul. 

Australia 1 (Josh Kennedy 83) bt Iraq 0 at ANZ Stadium. Crowd: 80,523 Referee: Alireza Faghani

Party first, down to business later

Hardly beautiful but result is perfect

Replay how the action unfolded on our match blog below.

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