While the penalty shoot out victory over Uruguay which took the Socceroos to the 2006 World Cup will live forever as one of the great Australian sporting moments, this was an altogether much lower-key affair concluded on foreign soil in front of a small but vocal band of Australian supporters in a corner behind the goal they attacked in the second half. But nonetheless it is a huge achievement, one that will further boost the development of the sport in this country and give a fillip to the upcoming A-League campaign, in which a handful of current Socceroos - including first-teamer Jason Culina - will be playing.

The Socceroos now head home to take on Bahrain in Sydney next Wednesday and Japan, in what should be a celebratory party for both teams, at the MCG on June 17. Pim Verbeek's team gets on a charter flight to Sydney with an imposing record in this final qualifying phase having won four and drawn two of their six matches, scoring eight goals and conceding none. Australia, which fielded the strongest side it could for this game, showed initiative right from the start, winning a first minute free kick which was flighted into the danger zone by Scott Chipperfied, forcing goalkeeper Burhan had to come out to claim. The Socceroos retained posession comfortably in the opening exchanges before a lapse, when the ball was turned over in midfield, offered Qatar's most dangerous striker Sebastian Soria the chance to shoot. But the Uruguayan born naturalised Qatari drove his eighth minute effort wide.

Five minutes later Australia's giant frontman, Josh Kennedy, offered his first aerial threat when he got on the end of a Harry Kewell cross but his header was off target. Australia looked comfortable but still needed to be wary of the powerful Soria, and Lucas Neill had to nip in smartly to snuff out his threat from a cross. Soria then shot wide after a lofted ball from Ali put him in a threatening position.

The Socceroos shuffled their attack after 20 minutes with Kewell and Bresciano switching flanks, from left to right, and it presaged Australia's best period of the game so far. The hosts were not going to be intimidated by the Australians and put in a number of clumsy challenges; Singaporean referee Abdul Malik's patience ran out midway through the first half when he booked Hamed Shami for a foul on Bresciano. From the resultant Bresciano free kick Australia went agonisingly close to taking a spectacular lead when Tim Cahill fastened on to Kennedy's headed flick on. The Everton midfielder chested the ball up and then drove an overhead kick against the post with Qasem beaten, but Qatar was able to scrambed the rebound to safety.

A driving Kewell run past Hamed Shami on the half hour took the Galatasaray man down Qatar's left flank and into the penalty area but the Qataris were able to clear before any Australian boot could connect. Cahill made a similar run down the left a minute later before Kewell, giving the Qatar defence a torrid time, repeated his earlier run. This time goalkeeper Qasem was able to scoop his low cross to safety with his foot and Carl Valeri's shot from outside the penalty area was deflected over for a corner.

Having lived dangerously and survived Qatar was emboldened to try its luck at the other end, Soria connecting with a cross from Ali which rebounded to the head of Bilal Mohammed, whose effort was deflected over. From the corner Australian keeper Mark Schwarzer had to push away a shot from Ahmed Faris. Australia looked the most threatening team, but Qatar was dangerous on the break, almost all of its forward thrusts being aimed at Soria. Kennedy was causing Qatar plenty of concern as the first half ended, again making himself a threatening target as a free kick was floated into the Qatar danger zone in the shadows of half time. The hosts had an opportunity to get the second half off to a positive start in the 50th minute when Kewell upended Ahmed Faris close to the Australian penalty area, but Ali's free kick drifted harmlessly over Schwarzer's bar.

Australia then went close at the other end when Chris Coyne almost turned in a Cahill header as the game began to open up with the Qataris simply having to push forward to grab the three points that would keep them alive in this World Cup section. Cahill again almost made the breakthrough in the 56th minute when his fierce drive looked goalbound only for Qasem to produce a full length diving save to deny a man who has long been Australia's goalscoring talisman.

Qasem then had to dive and stretch to push Kennedy's shot wide for a corner as Australia went in search of the goal that could have killed this game off. The Qatari keeper was once more the hero for his country when he got across well to push to safety a Kewell drive after the winger, set up by Vince Grella's cross field ball, jinked past his marker and into the area before letting fly with a right foot shot. With 17 minutes to go Verbeek made his first tactical switch, bringing off the hard working Grella and shifting Jason Culina, who started at right back, into his customary midfield role and introducing Jade North to play in Culina's vacated position.

The busy Kewell could have broken the deadlock with eleven minutes to go when he dispossed an opponent in the penalty area but his shot was wide of Qasem's left hand post. Lucas Neill was shown a late yellow card after an altercation with Soria, but that could not mar Australia's joy. Qasem, not surprisingly was named as man of the match.