Hazara Nation

FROM Baghdad, to Bangkok, to Brisbane, the drama was played out, but coach Pim Verbeek, expressionless and stoic, never seriously doubted tomorrow's World Cup qualifier would go ahead.

Sectarian rivalry, international politics, football politics and Sepp Blatter's unquenchable thirst for a headline were all in the melting pot.

But if the match hung in the balance, Verbeek was having none of it. On the manicured turf of Ballymore all week, the players trained as normal. At the team hotel, they were told by their coach to ignore the fuss because he was "100%" sure the game would go ahead. In other words, situation normal. In the end, after Blatter's typically theatrical attempt to paint himself in the role of game-saviour, Verbeek was proved right.

And so, at the end of an abnormal week, things are as they were always meant to be.

On the surface, the odds seem to be in Australia's favour. Iraq is bottom of the group after picking up only one point in its opening two qualifiers. Indeed, since the Asian Cup success, it has only won two in 10.

There are other factors, as well. When Iraq's under 23s were beaten in Gosford in February, three of their players and the assistant coach slipped away and claimed political asylum. Ali Mansur changed his mind, but the other two, Ali Khader and Ali Abbas, are living in Sydney and have been accepted as refugees.

It was a blow to Iraqi soccer's unity, and pride, and Ali Abbas, in particular, might have been playing against the Socceroos tomorrow if things had worked out differently.

As it is, coach Adnan Hamad has enough problems on his hands. Nobody knows the players better than Hamad. He has nurtured them through the ranks, from the team that won the Asian under-20 title, to the team that inspired the world to finish in the last four at the Athens Olympics.

But sometimes familiarity breeds contempt. Hamad has had to get tough on players still dining out on the Asian Cup success. He wants to see the pride back in the shirt tomorrow, but after being stabbed in the back by their own government, he knows that won't be easy.

Verbeek knows it won't be easy, either. "I know these Iraqis very well, they are used to playing against the outside world," Verbeek said.

Any Iraqi team that still has goalkeeper Noor Sabri, defenders Bassim Abbas and Ali Hussein Rehema, midfielder Qusay Munir, playmaker Nashat Akram and striker Younis Mahmoud cannot be taken lightly. Verbeek knows it, and intends to make sure his players know it, too.

With their World Cup hopes on the line, the Iraqis will be desperate, and dangerous. The Socceroos cannot afford to draw, so everything is on the line.

Under Verbeek, Australia's defence has grown stronger, and for the first time, he has almost a full deck of midfielders. But stopping goals is only half the equation. The other half is scoring , and who's going to hit the net?

If ever Australia needed Scott McDonald to live up to the hype, now is the time. Inside a packed stadium, the atmosphere will be charged with anticipation.