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AUSTRALIA'S old guard survived a barrage of criticism throughout a gruelling World Cup Qualifying campaign and emerged with a strong case that, for now at least, that they are still the nation's best.
After a turbulent series, Australia booked their ticket to Brazil 2014 with a hard-fought 1-0 win over a youthful Iraq.
With an average age of just over 30 and pitted against a team containing four teenagers, the veteran Socceroos did enough to secure their path to their third successive World Cup finals.
Though, it was far from the easy task many predicted and the inability of a number of veterans to perform at the crucial match questioned the ongoing selection of the veterans.
Australia were composed and disciplined as they outplayed Iraq as expected but their failure to find a breakthrough before the 82nd minute highlighted the need for the transition to youth to begin now that qualification is assured.
Holger Osieck justified his selection policy of senior players through the value of experience, but the shining performance of youngsters Tommy Oar and Robbie Kruse in front of more than 80,000 proved that the next generation is ready.
For the third successive match, Holger Osieck stuck with the veteran defensive duo of Lucas Neill and Sasa Ognenovski who share a combined age of 69 years.
The Socceroos captain shone amid the pressure as he comfortably contained Iraq's spirited attackers while a few nervous moments by Ognenovski caused concern for Osieck.
Neill admitted the performance wasn't great, but it was a case of mission accomplished.
"I'm proud of everybody. It's been a really tough campaign. We've stuck at it, showed mental strength," Neill said.
"Sorry, it wasn't pretty. But we've beaten what was in front of us and pushed ourselves on to a very exciting tournament."
There were signs that a better team would have punished the pair as Ognenovski was guilty of gifting Iraq possession deep in Australia's territory with two wayward passes along the back line.
A stray pass in the 20th minute and another just before the break required a fine intervention from Neill.
A late bloomer and for all his years of experience, Ognenovski made a subtle mistake which proved costly.
Out-leaped to the ball on a corner, the defender needlessly dug his arm into an opponent not realising that the ball had deflected to an unmarked Robbie Kruse on the edge of the box.
The resulting play was exquisite by the youngster, a fierce shot stabbed deep into the pocket of the net, only to be called by back by the referee due to Ognenovski's foul in the build up. A yellow card appeared a formality when Ognenovski gave away another senseless foul by backing into a player when he was outpaced for the ball.
At the other end of the field, even Australia's go-to man at the hour of need looked behind the pace of the game.
Tim Cahill had the difficult job of playing in his role of lone striker but struggled with poor service from Oar and Kruse.
His man in support, Brett Holman also didn't leave a mark on the match.
He was replaced on the hour by 20 year-old Tom Rogic who made another dazzling cameo.
![PARTY TIME: The Socceroos celebrate World Cup qualification after their victory over Iraq in Sydney last night. Picture: Getty Images PARTY TIME: The Socceroos celebrate World Cup qualification after their victory over Iraq in Sydney last night. Picture: Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-36mDshx2U2dAuMR3XyjpW6R/065c9271-8d28-4c6b-865d-bf80fa8277ec.jpg/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Just as the match appeared to end in tragedy for Australia's World Cup hopes, the evergreen Mark Bresciano supplied an angled cross to the unmarked Josh Kennedy, 30. The emphatic header sent Australia to Rio and proposed a 12-month dilemma over who Oseick takes with him.