Harry Kewell scored just after halftime to give Australia a 1-0 win over Iraq in their 2010 World Cup qualifier in Brisbane on Sunday. The former Liverpool player was in outstanding form and was at the heart of most of the Socceroos' goal-scoring chances until being replaced with 13 minutes to go. Both sides missed a string of opportunities in the first half, but Kewell made no mistake two minutes into the second when he headed a pinpoint Brett Emerton cross past Iraqi goalkeeper Noor Sabri. Australia dominated possession but had to withstand a storming finish from Iraq, who had three clear chances in the closing minutes. Iraq, the reigning Asia Cup champion, remain rooted to the bottom of the table with its dream of qualifying for South Africa in 2010 all but over. Togo edges Zambia Togo overcame the handicap of being barred from playing at home to edge Zambia 1-0 this weekend in a key 2010 World Cup-African Nations Cup qualifier. Arsenal goal poacher Emmanuel Adebayor was not the ‘Sparrowhawks' scorer for once with the 16th-minute winner in Ghanaian capital Accra coming from Belgium-based Adekamni Olufade. The Group 11 clash in a mini-league completed by minnows Swaziland after Eritrea withdrew was switched from Lome after crowd violence at an African Nations Cup qualifier last year. With a four-team pool, shock 2006 World Cup qualifier Togo, and Zambia, would have harbored realistic ambitions of progressing, one as group winner and the other as one of the best eight runner-up from the 12 mini-leagues. Now, with four fixtures instead of six, that appears unlikely, leaving Togo and Zambia fighting for survival with goal difference or even goals scored possibly determining who squeezes through. Senegal overcame a troubled build-up to its Group 6 showdown with Algeria to win 1-0 in Dakar. Morocco scored twice within 13 minutes of the kick-off en route to an expected 3-0 victory over Ethiopia in Group 8 where Rwanda achieved a similar result against Mauritania in Kigali.
