The Liverpool forward scored with 12 minutes left to give his team a 2-2 draw with Croatia which was enough Thursday to send the Aussies through to the knockout round as Group F runners-up behind champions Brazil.

Hiddink's team will face three-time world champions Italy in Kaiserslautern for a place in the quarterfinals on Monday.

Kewell has been battling a groin injury suffered in last month's World Cup, yet he still put in a man-of-the-match performance that inspired his teammates and was lauded by the coaching staff.

"Before the game I was thinking how to use Harry because he's not in his top game shape and I was thinking of bringing him on later," Hiddink said.

"But these games are special and these games need special players because they can make the difference."

Assistant coach Graham Arnold praised Kewell's work ethic to get himself fit enough to play a significant 90-minute role in Australia's surprise qualification into the last 16 of the tournament.

"Harry has struggled in the last few weeks with fitness but it's a testament to the guy," he said. "He wakes up at seven in the morning, he goes to the gym, he works hard, he trains hard, he eats well, he does everything to be fit.

"If you talk to him he'll probably say he shouldn't be here with the injury he's had and it's testament to the guy he's given everything he can give physically to get here."

Captain Mark Viduka rates Kewell as one of the greatest players he has ever played with.

"I was so happy for him to score. For me Harry is definitely one of the best players I've played with," said Viduka, who plays as a lone striker for his country.

"I'm happy he's with us and I was so happy for him when the ball came in, it was like I scored. We were so relieved to get that goal and he was definitely man-of-the-match for me.

"He did such a good job and he makes it easier for me when I've got him around me because every time he gets it he looks for me and we look for each other."

Kewell described his history-making goal against Croatia as his greatest ever.

"That's the most important goal so far in my career. If it wasn't going to be me, I'm sure it was going to be someone else," he said.

Kewell, who was named FIFA's official man of the match, said he was relishing the task of facing Italy for a last eight spot.

"It's perfect for us," he said. "A lot of people didn't think we were going to get through the group stage, we were very confident about qualifying from this group, obviously we left it a little bit late.

"But we got there and now we have to concentrate on Italy, it's going to be a great game."