PREVIEW-Soccer-Iraq pushing for points after late lifeline

BANGKOK, May 30 (Reuters) - An 11th-hour reprieve from international suspension could count for nothing if Asian champions Iraq fail to take a point against in-form Australia in their upcoming World Cup qualifier.
The beleaguered side, who have won once since their Asian Cup triumph last year, are rooted to the bottom of Group 1 with a single point and could lose sight of Qatar and China if the Socceroos win in Brisbane on Sunday.
Iraq coach Adnan Hamad said his team would be happy with a draw after the turmoil of the last few days, when the war-ravaged country was temporarily banned from international soccer because of governmental interference.
Hamad, who played for Iraq at the 1986 World Cup, believes his team still have a chance of reaching the 2010 finals in South Africa.
"Australia is an excellent team... so a point will be good for us," Hamad told reporters.
"For me, whoever reaches nine points will qualify, so there is still time."
Qatar are second in the group with three points and take on third-placed China in Doha.
The World Cup hopefuls of Asia and the Middle East have a gruelling three weeks ahead of them, with each playing four qualifiers in the space of just 20 days across a region spanning 14,000 kilometre