STUTTGART, Germany – It took the Socceroos 32 years to get back to the World Cup. No wonder they wanted to prolong their stay.

Harry Kewell scored from close range to give Australia a 2-2 draw with Croatia and send the Aussies into the second round alongside defending champion Brazil from Group F.

Croatia took the lead in the second minute on a dipping free kick by Dario Srna. Craig Moore equalized for Australia with a penalty kick in the 39th minute after Stjepan Tomas handled the ball in the box.

Croatia went up again in the 79th minute on a goalkeeping blunder by Zeljko Kalac, who started for regular goalie Mark Schwarzer. Croatia captain Niko Kovac shot from about 20 yards and the ball rolled over Kalac’s hands.

But Kewell put home a short shot off a scramble in the area, and Australia was headed for a matchup with Italy in Kaiserslautern on Monday.

Instead of galvanizing the Croatians, Srna’s goal awoke the Australians and prompted a series of attacks. The pressure was rewarded with the penalty kick, and Moore sent the goalkeeper one way, the ball the other.

The match was billed as a clash of loyalties. Seven players of Croatian descent play for Australia, while three of Croatia’s grew up Down Under. The ancestral ties took a back seat on the field as the players often slammed into bone-crunching tackles.

For the entire match it seemed as if the Australians were chasing a win, battering at the Croatian defense, which looked closer and closer to buckling but kept holding up.

Kewell and Tim Cahill tried with long shots, while captain Mark Viduka was trying short combination passes, hoping to get into closer range.

Goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa saved a forceful shot from Kewell from point-blank range after a clever flick from Viduka late in the match, and it appeared that Croatia would hang on to the win. But Kewell took a back header from substitute John Aloisi and slammed it into the net to send the green-and-gold fans into delirium.

Dario Simic got sent off for Croatia and Australia’s Brett Emerton also received a red card in the second half. Josip Simunic was red-carded after the final whistle.

AP-ES-06-22-06 1746EDT