KEY POINTS:
A draw against North Korea in Pyongyang tomorrow will guarantee Australia a place in the football tournament at next year's Beijing Olympic Games.
The Olyroos all but secured their ticket to the Olympics with their 2-0 home win over Iraq in the crunch clash in their penultimate qualifier at Gosford's Bluetongue Stad-ium on Saturday.
Australia claimed top spot in their group for the first time during the final round of qualifying after goals to Adrian Leijer and Mark Milligan handed Iraq their first defeat of the stage.
It leaves the Australian under-23s within sight of their goal with a point tomorrow enough to secure their place in Beijing.
Australia's men have never missed playing in an Olympic football tournament since the sport opened the door to professionals in 1988, but this will be the first time they have qualified through Asia - through a 14-game process which began in February.
In the past, the Olyroos have qualified through Oceania.
Their success carries added significance considering Australia's women's team, the Matildas, failed in their bid to qualify.
Australia and Iraq were equal on eight points going into the game in Gosford, with Iraq sitting top of the group with a superior goal difference.
The Olyroos, though, claimed the upper hand when Leijer slotted home the opening goal in the 19th minute following a goal-mouth scrap.
Skipper Milligan then secured the win in the 58th minute courtesy of a powerful header with both goals coming from quality Kristian Sarkies' free kicks.
More than 13,000 fans packed Bluetongue Stadium for the match, including a healthy mix of local Iraqi support.
But that tremendous support and atmosphere was soured somewhat by a couple of bottle-throwing incidents and pitch invasions, with Singaporean referee Malik Malik Abdul struck by a bottle near the corner flag while Australia were celebrating their opening goal.
Iraq, surprise semifinalists at Athens 2004, host Lebanon in their final game in Doha. The only way they can overtake Australia is if the Olyroos lose in North Korea.
- AAP
