Croatia and Australia have drawn 2-2 in their World Cup Group F match, with Australia progressing to the knockout rounds and Croatia out of the World Cup Finals.

Darijo Srna scored for the Vatreni in the second minute from a stunning free-kick from 25-yards out and Craig Moore from the penalty-spot for the Socceroos in the first-half.

Goals from Nico Kovac and Harry Kewell saw the teams level at the end of a hotly contested match.

It was end-to-end stuff and within the sixth minute of the match Australia were denied a penalty appeal after Josip Simunic was seen to seemingly bring down Socceroos captain Mark Viduka in the penalty-area.

The Socceroos pressed hard for an equaliser and had the majority of posession, with the Croatian keeper Stipe Pletikosa making some decent stops from Everton’s Tim Cahill, Liverpool’s Harry Kewell and Vince Grella and the Europeans were defending well.

Australia deservedly equalised in the 38th minute, after a handball in the penalty-area which was expertly despatched from Craig Moore, which left Croatia keeper Stipe Pletikosa no chance.

Croatia had their best chance of the match in the last minute of the half, with Glasgow Rangers striker Dado Prso blasting over the crossbar.

The second-half saw the pressure coming from Croatia, with the Europeans forcing the lead after shots from Nico Kranjcar and Olic, and gaining the lead in the 56th minute with a messy strike from Nico Kovac that found its way past Zeljko Kalac.

Tim Cahill headed the ball on to Harry Kewell, who remained composed and tucked the ball away with a right-footed volley past Pletikosa to make it 2-2.

Darijo Simic was sent-off for Croatia in the 85th minute, with Australia already on the ascendancy after the equaliser.

Igor Tudor had the perfect chance to take the lead with four minutes to go, but fluffed his chance.

Referee Graham Poll sent off Australia’s Brett Emerton a minute later to level the teams and now it was Croatia that were looking the most likely to score and made another mistake by double-booking Siminic in the last minute of the match after late pressure from the Croatians.

Poll didn't realise his mistake, but as soon as he had blown the final whistle, he then bizarrely booked Siminic again and finally showed the red-card he should have done three minutes before.

Australia have now qualified for the last sixteen of the tournament, finishing in second place behind Brazil and will face Italy in the first knockout round.

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