DOHA, Qatar, Jan 18, (AP): Jackson Irvine delivered again as Australia booked its place in the knockout stage of the Asian Cup on Thursday by beating Syria 1-0.
The midfielder scored for the second straight game to maintain the Socceroos' 100% start in Group B.
Australia, the 2015 champions, tops the group on six points and and cannot finish lower than second.
Irvine struck the winner with a flicked shot from inside the box in the 59th minute at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. He had scored the opening goal in his team's 2-0 win against India on Saturday.
The closest Syria came to scoring was when Pablo Sabbag hit the post early on.

Australia plays Uzbekistan in its final Group B game on Tuesday.
Dumped out of its own World Cup at the earliest possible stage in 2022, Qatar looks intent on sticking around at the Asian Cup.
The host and defending champion became the first team to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament on Wednesday after a 1-0 win against Tajikistan.
Akram Afif scored his third goal in two games to secure victory at Al Bayt Stadium and ensure Qatar goes through as Group A winner.

It is all a far cry from the World Cup when, as host, Qatar exited the competition at the group stage after three straight losses.
Now maximum points from its opening two games have given Bartolome Lopez’s team the perfect start to its defense of the Asian Cup.

And it has one of the most impressive players of the tournament in Afif, who lifted a shot over Tajikstan goalkeeper Rustam Yatimov in the 17th minute for the only goal of the game.
The forward had spoken of his desire to return to Europe after spells in Spain and Belgium earlier in his career, and he is likely to have earned admirers for his performances so far for Qatar as the tournament’s leading scorer.
Tajikistan ended the game with 10 men after Amadoni Kamolov was sent off in the 81st.