To see Iraq and Australia's final training session...

The 29-year-old veteran, who made just 13 appearances in his troubled final season at Liverpool, put aside his recent injury concerns to score the winner for the Socceroos' in last Sunday's 1-0 win over the 2007 Asian Cup champions in Brisbane.

Another win for Australia over their Asian Cup conquerors on Sunday morning (Australian time) will guarantee the Socceroos' a place in the final round of World Cup qualifying to begin in September.

But with Mark Viduka and Tim Cahill still absent and Archie Thompson and Josh Kennedy only just back on the comeback trail following their own injury problems - skipper Kewell knows he will again have to carry the bulk of the Socceroos' attacking responsibilities against Iraq in Dubai.

And he is confident his body will stand up for the entire game - which is likely to be played in 30 degree plus temperatures even though the match is kicking off at 8pm local time on Saturday night.

"Again it's going to be very difficult, obviously I haven't played for a very long time and we'll assess that as the game goes on - if I'm selected to start," Kewell said of his chances of seeing out the clash against Iraq.

"But on a personal note - yeah I'd love to play 90 minutes (but) we've got enough quality in the team to change things around so we'll see."

Kewell relished his return to a pure striker's role against Iraq in Brisbane, after having spent much of his frustrating time at Liverpool playing on the left side of midfield, a role he has also often occupied for the national team.

"Whatever position you play you do it to the best of your ability and you try to do the best for the team," he said.

"It (playing as a striker) is something different and I've always loved playing up front.

"And if you are up there, whoever's up there alone has got a big task and a big opportunity to go up there and show the world that they can lead up front.

"You're playing good teams and good teams are always going to create chances and it's just important that we finish ours and they don't finish theirs.

"(But) I think anyone feels confident enough to go up there and play because you've got quality behind you - you know you're going to get the service and support."

Kewell said the Socceroos were gradually acclimatising to the heat of Dubai with the Socceroos' Dutch manager Pim Verbeek wisely limiting training to one session per day - at night - given that temperatures in Dubai at this time of the year regularly exceed 40 degrees during the afternoons.

"I think we've got to get prepared for Saturday, it's going to be a tough opponent and especially very tough conditions but we're working hard and going to be at our best," Kewell said.

"The conditions here sometimes make you a little bit lethargic but he (Verbeek) has picked up on that quite early and he's pushed us a lot harder and I'm quite sure he'll push us again.

"The sharpness has still got to be there because with the heat you can get lethargic and make errors so we've got to be on our feet.

"They need to win, it's important for them to win otherwise they're out of the competition so they're going to come out guns blazing.

"So we're going to have a big task on our hands but we're young, we're fit and we're up to the challenge."

To see Iraq and Australia's final training session...