The World Cup is almost set. France, Serbia-Montenegro and Sweden joined the field on Wednesday, meaning 27 of the 32 berths are decided for next year’s month-long tournament in Germany.
France, the 1998 World Cup champions, defeated Cyprus 4-0 to win European group four, and Serbia-Montenegro defeated neighbours Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 to take first in group seven.
Sweden won 3-1 at home over Iceland, which was good enough for second place in group eight behind group winners Croatia. Sweden advanced as one of the best two second-place teams.
Poland were the other best second-place team after losing 2-1 at group-six winner England.
”I’m satisfied and very happy that we qualified,” said France coach Raymond Domenech, whose team could have been forced to a play-off on Wednesday — or even been eliminated.
”We won the matches that we had to.”
Serbia defender Mladen Krstajic added: ”It was an extremely tough game for us. It was not a nice match to watch, but the result is what matters.”
The Netherlands, Ukraine, Portugal and Italy are the other European group winners. Germany advance automatically as the host nation.
Under European rules, the eight group winners and the top two second-place teams advance automatically. The other six second-place teams go into a play-off next month.
The five teams on Wednesday guaranteed play-off were the Czech Republic, Turkey, Slovakia, Switzerland and Spain. Norway had already clinched their play-off place.
The draw for the European play-offs is Friday in Zurich, Switzerland, with the possibility of the Czech Republic drawing Slovakia. The nations formed one country, Czechoslovakia, until they split in 1993.
The two remaining slots also will be filled by play-offs.
Bahrain will face Trinidad and Tobago. Bahrain advanced on Wednesday after a 0-0 draw against Uzbekistan. They drew 1-1 in their first play-off game, with Bahrain advancing on away goals.
Trinidad rallied on a pair of goals by Stern John to beat Mexico 2-1 on Wednesday night and claim fourth place in the final round of Concacaf qualifying.
Australia will face Uruguay, who beat Argentina 1-0 in the other play-off.
In addition to Europe’s 14 places, Africa has qualified five, Asia and South America four each, and Concacaf three.
Threatened with elimination — or facing a play–off — France won 4-0 at the Stade de France with first-half goals from Zinedine Zidane, Sylvain Wiltord and Vikash Dhorasoo. Ludovic Giuly scored in the 84th minute.
In the other key group game, Switzerland drew 0-0 at Ireland to claim a play-off spot. France finished with 20 points and Switzerland and Israel had 18. The Swiss advanced on the fourth tiebreaker — better total goal difference in the group. Ireland finished with 16 points.
Serbia-Montenegro won group seven on Mateja Kezman’s fifth-minute goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina to finish with 22 points. Spain, who hammered San Marino 6-0 with three goals from Fernando Torres, finished with 20 points to make the play-offs.
Spain last missed the World Cup finals in 1974.
In group eight, Croatia took first place despite a 0-0 draw at Hungary. In the other crucial group game, Sweden beat visiting Iceland 3-1 with goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrik Larsson and Kim Kallstrom.
Croatia and Sweden finished with the same number of points — 24 — but Croatia won the group because of two head-to-head wins against the Swedes.
Croatia entered the game already guaranteed of qualifying.
Turkey finished in second place in group two, beating Albania 1-0 on Tumer Metin’s 57th-minute goal. Denmark and Greece both had chances to finish second, but were eliminated by the Turkish victory.
Denmark won at Kazakhstan 2-1 behind early second-half goals from Michael Gravgaard and Jon Dahl Tomasson.
Playing at home, European champion Greece defeated Georgia 1-0 on Dimitris Papadopoulos’s 17th-minute goal. Ukraine won the group with 25 points. Turkey have 23, Denmark 22 and Greece 21.
Greece are one of only three defending European champions who failed to reach the subsequent World Cup. Denmark and Czechoslovakia are the others.
”We’re all terribly disappointed,” Greece captain Theodoros Zagorakis said. ”We’re all to blame for this. It’s not right to blame any one person.”
The Czech Republic won 3-0 at Finland to finish second in group one, getting goals from Tomas Jun, Tomas Rosicky and Marek Heinz. The Netherlands topped the group with 32 points. The Czechs finished with 27, while Romania have 25. The Romanians already had completed all their games.
Slovakia earned a spot in the play-offs by holding Russia to a 0-0 draw in group three. Slovakia, who have never played in a major soccer competition since they gained independence in 1993, were second behind group winners Portugal.
Slovakia gained the place over Russia on total goal difference in the group.
Also in Europe on Wednesday, it was: Andorra 0, Armenia 3; The Netherlands 0, Macedonia 0; Portugal 3, Latvia 0; Luxembourg 0, Estonia 2; Belarus 0, Norway 1; Italy 2, Moldova 1; Slovenia 0, Scotland 3; Wales 2, Azerbaijan 0; Austria 2, Northern Ireland 0; Lithuania 1, Belgium 1; and Malta 1, Bulgaria 1.
In Concacaf, the United States closed out its qualifying with a 2-0 victory to finish atop the regional standings. Guatemala beat Costa Rica 3-1.
In South America, Brazil finished atop the table with a 3-0 victory over Venezuela. Elsewhere, it was Chile 0, Ecuador 0; Paraguay 0, Colombia 1; and Peru 4, Bolivia 1. — Sapa-AP