Emerton brace helps Aussies advance

Harry Kewell also got on the scoresheet to ensure the visitors will progress from Group One, while Qatar and Iraq will now face off in Dubai on June 22 for the right to join the Socceroos in the next phase.

After a cagey opening, Australia took the lead in the 16th minute.

Harry Kewell found Mark Bresciano in space on the left and although the midfielder’s low cross was completely missed by the onrushing Kewell, Emerton was on hand at the back post to sidefoot home.

Australia could have doubled their advantage four minutes later when a slide rule pass set Bresciano free and he rounded keeper Mohamed Saqr before centring but Brett Holman was narrowly beaten to the ball.

Qatar began to get back into the game as the half wore on with Sebastian Soria proving the biggest threat to Australia.

The striker latched on to Ibrahim Majed’s long ball over the top and forced Mark Schwarzer into a save at his near post from an acute angle before heading straight at the Australian keeper after rising highest to meet a free-kick. 

Soria then almost created an equaliser out of nothing seven minutes before the interval when he got on the end of Fabio Cesar’s low ball into the box but while his first effort was initially blocked, the ball popped up into the air and the 24-year-old produced an acrobatic backheel that flew narrowly over the bar.

But Australia took control of the game with a second goal ten minutes into the second-half.

Schwarzer’s long clearance was flicked on by Kewell to Holman, who lofted the ball over the Qatari defence into the path of Emerton.

The midfielder took the pass in his stride before slipping a neat shot past the advancing Saqr.

Australia thought they had further extended their lead after 58 minutes when Bresciano drove down the right and into the area before cutting the ball back from the byline for Kewell to finish but it was chalked off for a foul in the box by Emerton.

The 29-year-old was not to be denied, however, as Holman’s cross from the left saw Meesad Al Hamad completely miss an attempted header and Kewell accepted the gift by burying his shot past the helpless Saqr at the far post to make it 3-0 after 74 minutes.

Qatar did net a consolation goal in the 89th minute when Schwarzer parried Magid Mohamad’s shot after the substitute turned his man but Khalfan Ibrahim slotted home the rebound.