Harry Kewell has sent the Socceroos into the last 16 of the World Cup with a stunning late equaliser in the most remarkable soccer match Australia has ever been involved in. Kewell’s 79th minute goal in its deciding Group F match against Croatia gave Australia the draw it needed to advance to the second round.

English referee Graham Poll may have had some questions to answer had Australia not advanced, with Mark Viduka denied a clear penalty inside the first 10 minutes when Croatia’s Joe Simunic rugby-tackled him in the box.

Poll will also have to answer questions over why Simunic was not sent off in injury time after being shown a second yellow card. He was allowed to remain on the pitch for a tense final few minutes as Croatia searched for a winner. Simunic was eventually marched on the final whistle for his third yellow card, but by then the Australians were celebrating.

Australia will play Italy in the round of 16 in Kaiserslautern on Tuesday (AEST).

Socceroo Harry Kewell could be banned for Australia’s next World Cup match after FIFA launched an official investigation into his verbal tirade against a referee. Following Australia’s 2-0 loss to Brazil on Monday morning (AEST) Kewell started mouthing off and pointing his finger at German referee Markus Merk.

Merk complained about Kewell’s behaviour in a post-match report, and the matter had been referred to the world governing body’s disciplinary committee. Kewell is to make a written submission, with the disciplinary committee to consider it and the referee’s report before making a judgment prior to the Socceroo’s next match.

It is believed suspending Kewell for his next match - vital to Australia’s chances of qualifying for the second stage of the tournament - is the most likely option if he is found guilty as charged.

Australia can secure a spot in the World Cup round of 16 with a draw against Croatia in Stuttgart, provided Japan does not produce a miracle win by at least two goals over Brazil in its last game.

Update: Kewell has been cleared by FIFA and is free to play in the match against Croatia.

Australia produced one of the great comebacks from a goal down to score three times in the final eight minutes to record a famous 3-1 victory that kick-started its first World Cup campaign in 32 years.

It would appear the Japan goal should never have been allowed anyway. Egyptian referee Essam Abd El Fatah has admitted to Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer that he erred in awarding Japan a controversial goal. Schwarzer appeared to be fouled by Naohiro Takahara as he leapt for a high ball from Japan playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura in the 26th minute, allowing the ball to bounce into the net, but Abdullah let the goal stand despite furious Australian protests.

The Aussies never gave up and the magic began when Tim Cahill, midfield player for Everton, joined the game in the 52nd minute, scoring twice (84, 89). This was followed by a goal by Spain-based striker John Aloisi (90).

Australia next plays World Cup champion Brazil in Munich on June 19 (AEST), before lining up against Croatia in Stuttgart on June 23 (AEST). Australia may feel confident it can beat Brazil, let alone earn a draw, after the world champion laboured to a 1-0 victory against Croatia.

I received an email from Brendan highlighting this article, however I am unsure what part of the article caught Brendan’s interest.

It could have been the plans to amalgamate the National Art School with the University of NSW, the two female students covered in gold paint who exposed their breasts, or the anti-logging protester, dressed as a koala, who failed to attract the same attention.

I will let you all decide :)

Australian Nine Network reporter Richard Carleton has died after suffering a suspected heart attack at Tasmania’s Beaconsfield Gold Mine today, during a press conference regarding the trapped miners. Witnesses said Carleton went red in the face after asking a question at the press conference and walked a short distance before collapsing. A radio journalist began CPR while an ambulance was called and someone was sent to the mine site to get medical experts working with the trapped miners. Carleton was taken away in an ambulance and pronounced dead a short time later.

Minutes before he collapsed, Carleton asked Beaconsfield Mine Manager Matthew Gill about the safety history of the mine:

“On 26th October last year, not 10 metres from where these men are now entombed, you had a 400-tonne rock fall. Why is it, is it the strength of the seam, or the wealth of the seam, that you continue to send men into work in such a dangerous environment?”

Carleton, who reports for the network’s flagship 60 Minutes program, has a history of heart problems.

Meanwhile, rescuers still have at least 1.1 metres of solid rock to get through before they begin to tunnel vertically to reach two trapped Tasmanian miners. They are now drilling small holes into the rock face, inserting low-impact explosives and detonating them. The narrowness of the rescue tunnel means only one rescuer can drill into the rock at any given time. But he is helped by another rescuer kneeling behind him to help him hold the drill, which weighs up to 40kg. It is hoped Todd Russell and Brant Webb will be freed tomorrow. The men are still insisting that they will walk out of the mine and are doing exercises within their confined space to help them achieve this goal.

The two miners trapped underground in a Tasmanian mine since last Tuesday have been found alive and well. The men are still trapped underground but a camera has gotten through to them and they are still alive and seem to be okay. The two miners have been able to have a conversation with the rescue team. Rescuers have called in all the miners to start work getting them out. It is expected they will have them out early tomorrow.

The incident killed their workmate, 44-year-old Larry Knight, whose body was retrieved on Thursday.

Update: Both men are inside a metal cage on a cherry picker they were working in when the rockfall happened. A rock has fallen on top of the cage, shutting them inside, and the pair are forced to sit in the cramped structure which is just 1.2m by 1.2m. The rescuers priority is to get fresh water and food to the men, along with better communication equipment by pushing it through a long tube before they attempt to extract them from the mine. Having been sitting for so long, neither of the men will be able to walk. The pair have survived on drips of heavily mineralised and rancid water running through the mine.

Update 2: Rescuers have drilled a narrow hole through 12m of rock through which a 100mm PVC pipe was inserted and water, biscuits, tablets and protein drinks passed to the two miners. It may take more than two more days to free them.

A 2.1 magnitude earthquake last night triggered a rockfall at the Beaconsfield Gold mine, in Tasmania, Australia. Three miners, from Launceston, are trapped approximately 1km underground. A machine is currently being rigged up with a camera to assess the damage, as it is too dangerous to send men in. No attempt will be made to enter the mine until seismic tests show the site is stable.

The mine was equipped with radio facilities but these were damaged in the rockfall and no contact has been made with the trapped miners. The miners were 925m underground when they lost contact and were known to be in the vicinity of the rockfall. The area doesnt have rescue chambers.

Update: A remote-controlled front-end loader fitted with a camera is being used to excavate the fallen rocks. Rescue teams have been unable to make contact with the men and fallen rocks have prevented rescuers from reaching them.

Update 2: According to University of Tasmania geophysics lecturer Michael Roach, it appears the mine’s own operations were responsible for the quake. “The event is of magnitude 2.1, it’s located fairly close to the Beaconsfield mine and it’s almost certainly related to mining activities at Beaconsfield,” Dr Roach told ABC radio. Mine manager, Matthew Gill, had earlier said it was not known what caused the “large seismic event”. The mine blasted on a 24-hourly basis but was not doing so at the time. The rescue attempt is still underway.

Update 3: The body of one of the three miners has been found.

Update 4: Rescuers will try a new method in their bid to reach the two still missing miners. They are now planning to bypass the unsafe area where the rock falls occurred via a horizontal tunnel. 48 hours have now passed and there is little hope there will be any survivors.

Cyclone Monica is now a category 4, weakening as it heads inland. Northwestern Arnhem Land between Maningrida and Jabiru is being affected by 260 km/h gusts. Monica is expected to hit the Darwin-Daly area tomorrow afternoon with gusts up to 175 km/h.

Latest track and threat map as at 11.00pm CST here

Cyclone Monica has crossed the Northern Territory coastline. Around 200 residents have been evacuated from Goulburn Island by light aircraft to Jabiru and bussed to Pine Creek where shelters have been set up by Emergency Services and the Defence Force.

Monica has touched down at Maningrida, in the territory’s far north. The category five cyclone will weaken after making landfall but is still expected to be category four or three when it hits Darwin tomorrow afternoon.

We have checked in with my partner’s children who reside in Darwin and they are packed up and prepared, although a little scared. We will be checking in with them regularly tomorrow.

Updated track and threat map as at 8.00pm CST here

Cyclone Monica, with gusts to 350 kilometres per hour, is expected to begin affecting the coast between Maningrida and Goulbourn Island in the next few hours, and approach the Darwin-Daly and Tiwi Island area on Tuesday afternoon with gusts to 220 kilometres per hour.

Gales with gusts to 100 km/h are currently being experienced on
the north of the Top End coast, and will extend westward ahead of the cyclone

The current cyclone track and threat map as at 5.00pm CST from the Bureau of Meteorology can be viewed here.