Iraq and New Zealand played out a lively 0-0 draw as both teams said farewell to the

Confederations Cup on Saturday having failed to score a goal

between them in any of their three Group A games.

Iraq, needing a win to have any chance of overhauling South

Africa for the runners-up spot to reach the semi-finals behind

group winners Spain, were more adventurous than in their opening

games but rarely looked like scoring until a late flourish.

They were denied what would have been an outstanding goal

from Karrar Jasim when his shot bounced off goalkeeper Glen

Moss's head and away to safety in stoppage time.

New Zealand, already eliminated after losing their first two

games, had several first-half chances but faded after the break,

though they did earn their first point in a Confederations Cup

after losing all their previous six matches, in 1999 and 2003.

Striker Chris Killen missed their best chances and could

have won the game just before the end but showed woeful control

in front of goal with only Iraq keeper Mohamed Kassid to beat.

The match ended the short stint of Serbian-born Bora

Milutinovic as Iraq's coach with the Asian champions already

eliminated from the World Cup qualifying competition.

New Zealand still have the chance of returning to South

Africa for the 2010 finals if they win a playoff against Bahrain

or Saudi Arabia later this year.

The match was the first between the countries since Iraq

beat New Zealand 2-0 and 4-0 in two World Cup qualifiers played

in neutral Sydney 36 years ago.

The Kiwis had plenty of chances to take the lead and avenge

those defeats in an entertaining first half.

Their first fell to Killen after 15 minutes but he failed to

compose himself properly and blasted high and wide of Kassid's

goal when it looked easier to score.

Shane Smeltz then had two good attempts within a minute but

shot wide when off balance for the first one and glanced a

header narrowly wide seconds later.

Killen then forced Kassid into a good save with a diving

header after 34 minutes but for a team that had to win to have

any chance of reaching the last four, Iraq were impotent up

front by comparison in the opening half.

They did go close to scoring twice in the opening 11

minutes, first when Emad Mohammed headed down into the ground

and saw the ball bounce over Moss's bar after eight minutes.

Three minutes later Emad and Younis Mahmoud combined with

Younis's shot excellently saved but they showed little in front

of goal again until near the end when Moss again denied them.