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Socceroos now preparing for Iraq after Jordan triumph

Holger Osieck already has his Australian side on the case regarding next week's do-or-die World Cup qualifier against Iraq.

The Socceroos hammered Jordan 4-0 in Melbourne on Tuesday night and now need to beat the Iraqis in Sydney to confirm their spot in the finals in Brazil next year.

Despite the manner of the win over Jordan, Osieck made it clear that he squad will continue to work hard as they now prepare for next Tuesday's showdown with the bottom-placed Iraq outfit.

"It was an excellent performance, and a real team effort - there was great unity, and the score was definitely what we needed with a good margin and a clean sheet," Osieck said.

"But I have already made it clear to the players in the dressing room that the planning for Tuesday night (against Iraq) has started already.

"This result will give us a lot of confidence for our last game, it's a big step forward but we haven't crossed the finish line yet.

"Within our group it's clear that we still have to be on our toes - tonight is no time for a celebration. Iraq will be a tough call for us, it's definitely not a piece of cake.

"We knew we couldn't afford any slip-ups, and even with experience you have to find your rhythm and your entry to the game. We had two other good chances (after the first goal) that could have made the game calmer."

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Andrew Slevison
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