Dave James

Portugal's Nani celebrates after scoring a goal during a World Cup qualifier against Malta. (Reuters Photo)

Switzerland and Slovakia Join World Cup Party

Paris. Star-studded Portugal kept its World Cup hopes alive on Wednesday by booking a back-door play-off place while unheralded Switzerland and Slovakia completed the nine automatic European qualifiers.

Portugal defeated Malta 4-0 in Guimaraes with Nani, Simao, Miguel and Edinho making sure of second spot behind Group 1 winner Denmark but ahead of Sweden, which missed out on qualification despite defeating Albania 4-1.

Portugal endured a terrible start to its campaign, winning two of its first seven games and at one stage registering three consecutive 0-0 draws.

But Sweden’s 1-0 victory over Denmark on Saturday allowed it to move into second place, and Wednesday’s win meant the team joined seven other sides in the draw for the two-legged European playoffs, which take place in November.

“For sure some points lost at home made life difficult for us, but the important thing is that we made it and now we have to prepare for these two finals,” Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz said.

Slovakia qualified for its first World Cup finals after a 1-0 win against Poland secured its place as Group 3 winner. An own-goal from Polish defender Seweryn Gancarczyk after just three minutes set Slovakia on the way to its first major finals since the country’s split with Czechoslovakia in 1993.

Switzerland made its German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld’s dream come true after a tense 0-0 draw against Israel in Basel made sure it took first place in Group 2.

The Swiss clinched the group with 21 points, with Greece, which beat Luxembourg 2-1, finishing one point behind and securing a playoff spot.

“It’s another success for me and a dream being fulfilled, it’s a present that Switzerland has given me,” former Bayern Munich coach Hitzfeld said.

England, which had already wrapped up Group 6, recovered from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat in Ukraine to beat Belarus 3-0 at Wembley with two goals from Peter Crouch and one by Shaun Wright-Phillips.

“Some things worked good, some things not so good. The players got better in the second half — what didn’t work is what we told the players at halftime, but that’s for us to know,” England coach Fabio Capello said.

Ukraine booked a playoff place with a 6-0 drubbing of Andorra, a result which meant Croatia was eliminated despite beating Kazakhstan 2-1 in Astana.

European champion Spain finished its Group 5 campaign with a 100 percent record after a 5-2 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was already assured of the runner-up spot.

Spain, without Xavi, Fernando Torres, David Villa, Carles Puyol and Cesc Fabregas, joined Group 9 winner Holland as the only team with a perfect record in Europe.

Elsewhere, world champion Italy needed a late hat-trick by Alberto Gilardino to secure a 3-2 win over Cyprus, which had led 2-0 at one stage.

Italy had already secured top spot in Group 8, but its fans jeered their team’s efforts in Parma.

Germany, the Group 4 winner, was also well below par, needing a last-minute scrambled goal from Lukas Podolski to salvage a 1-1 draw against Finland in Hamburg.

Agence France-Presse

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