Argentina scraped into the World Cup finals on Wednesday with a 1-0 win over Uruguay as Diego Maradona finally celebrated mission accomplished after a stumbling, lackluster qualifying campaign.
The two-time champions needed a goal by substitute Mario Bolatti six minutes from time to earn the three points and secure the fourth and final qualifying spot from South America.
Brazil, Chile and Paraguay had already made sure of their places in the finals.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Uruguay finished fifth and now face a playoff against Costa Rica, who finished fourth in the CONCACAF region behind the US, Mexico and Honduras.
In a poor match with few opportunities, the crucial moment came when Uruguay were reduced to 10 men when Martin Caceras was red-carded for a foul on Jonas Gutierrez.
From the ensuing free-kick, Juan Sebastian Veron had a shot charged down, but Bolatti, on the field for just four minutes after replacing Gonzalo Higuain, reacted quickest to the loose ball to beat Nestor Muslera in the Uruguayan goal.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Maradona, who had used more than 70 players since taking over a year ago, opted to leave Carlos Tevez on the bench alongside Martin Palermo, who grabbed the last-minute goal that saw off Peru on Saturday.
“I thank the team and the fans who crossed the River Plate for the privilege of taking Argentina to the World Cup, but there were people who did not believe in us and who treated me like rubbish,” said Maradona, who was in combative mood at his post-match press conference.
Uruguay, needing a win to make sure of automatic qualification, were on top early with Argentina unsurprisingly nervous and defender Gabriel Heinze picking up a booking after just nine minutes.
PHOTO: AFP
Andres Scotti almost gave the home side the lead at the famous Estadio Monumental, but his header slipped by Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero’s post.
Lionel Messi, who has yet to shine under Maradona despite his scene-stealing performances for Barcelona, attempted to catch out Muslera with a long distance free-kick.
The goalless halftime stalemate suited Argentina as Ecuador, the only other rivals for the last qualifying spot, were also being held 0-0 at the interval by Chile in Santiago.
The low-quality affair continued after the break with the first opening not coming until the 73rd minute when Diego Lugano headed wide from a pinpoint Diego Forlan free-kick.
Uruguay continued to press against an Argentine team happy to pack seven defenders behind the ball as the clock ticked down, before Bolatti, in just his third international, put his country into the finals.
In Santiago, Chile took the lead against Ecuador thanks to a 51st-minute strike from Humberto Suazo. Ecuador, who had Segundo Castilla sent off, needed to win to keep their qualifying hopes alive.
Five-time champions and group winners, Brazil, were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Venezuela and they too finished with 10 men after Sao Paulo defender Miranda was red-carded.
Paraguay also ended on a low note, losing 2-0 at home to Colombia.
Rock-bottom Peru completed their program with a 1-0 win over Bolivia, who had defeated Brazil at the weekend, thanks to a second-half strike from Johan Fano.
It was Bolivia’s 38th qualifier away from their high-altitude fortress of La Paz without a win. Fano was later sent off.
■EUROPE
AFP, PARIS
Star-studded Portugal kept their World Cup hopes alive on Wednesday by booking a back-door playoff place, while unheralded Switzerland and Slovakia completed the nine automatic European qualifiers.
Portugal, without injured Cristiano Ronaldo, defeated Malta 4-0 in Guimaraes with Nani, Simao, Miguel and Edinho making sure of second spot behind Group 1 winners Denmark, but ahead of Sweden, who missed out on qualification despite beating Albania 4-1.
While Portugal, who were 2006 World Cup semi-finalists, can look forward to a two-legged playoff, Sweden and Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will watch next summer’s South African showpiece from home.
Portugal had endured a terrible start to their campaign, winning just two of their first seven games and at one stage registering three back-to-back goalless draws.
Sweden’s 1-0 defeat to Denmark on Saturday, however, allowed them to move into second place and Wednesday’s win meant they joined seven other sides in the draw for the two-legged European playoffs, which take place next month.
“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 their first World Cup finals after a 1-0 win against Poland secured their place as Group 3 winners.
An own-goal from Polish defender Seweryn Gancarczyk after just three minutes set Slovakia on the way to their first major finals since the country’s split with Czechoslovakia in 1993.
Slovenia saw off San Marino 3-0 to make sure of a playoff spot.
Switzerland made their German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld’s dream come true as a tense 0-0 draw against Israel in Basel made sure of top spot in Group 2.
The Swiss clinched the group with 21 points, with Greece, who 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, who had already wrapped up Group 6, recovered from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat in Ukraine to beat Belarus 3-0 at Wembley, with Peter Crouch (2) and Shaun Wright-Phillips grabbing the goals.
Crouch has now scored 16 times in 17 starts for the national team.
The decision to name David Beckham the game’s outstanding player came as a surprise to England coach Fabio Capello.
“I was a bit surprised,” Capello said. “It was like [Barack] Obama winning the Nobel prize after nine months as [US] President, Beckham being man of the match after 30 minutes.”
Ukraine booked a play-off place with a 6-0 drubbing of Andorra, a result that meant Croatia were eliminated despite beating Kazakhstan 2-1 in Astana.
European champions Spain, who will be one of the favorites in South Africa, finished their Group 5 campaign with a 100 percent record after a 5-2 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina, who were already assured of the runners-up spot.
Spain, without Xavi, Fernando Torres, David Villa, Carles Puyol and Cesc Fabregas, joined Group 9 winners the Netherlands as the only team with a perfect record in Europe.
First-half goals from Gerard Pique and David Silva, a second-half brace from Alvaro Negredo, on his first start, and a late strike by Juan Mata ensured Spain’s 10th win.
Elsewhere, world champions Italy needed a late hat-trick by Alberto Gilardino to secure a 3-2 win over Cyprus, who had led 2-0 at one stage.
Italy had already secured top spot in Group 8, but their fans jeered their team’s efforts in Parma.
“Some of those fans forgot this team are world champions,” Italy coach Marcello Lippi said.
Germany, Group 4 winners, were also well below-par, needing a last-minute scrambled goal from Lukas Podolski to salvage a 1-1 draw against Finland in Hamburg.
Wednesday’s other results:
• Azerbaijan 1, Russia 1
• Bulgaria 6, Georgia 2
• Czech Republic 0, N Ireland 0
• Denmark 0, Hungary 1
• Estonia 2, Belgium 0
• France 3, Austria 1
• Latvia 3, Moldova 2
• Liechtenstein 0, Wales 2
• Lithuania 2, Serbia 1
• Rep Ireland 0, Montenegro 0
• Romania 3, Faroe Islands 1
• Turkey 2, Armenia 0
■CONCACAF
AFP, WASHINGTON
Honduras qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1982 and only the second time in history on Wednesday after a 1-0 victory at El Salvador and a heartbreaking draw for Costa Rica.
Carlos Pavon scored in the 63rd minute to give the Hondurans the triumph over their “Soccer War” rivals and join the US and Mexico from North America for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
After civil unrest over a power struggle in Honduras, national team coach Reinaldo Rueda sees the World Cup qualification in unifying terms.
“It’s a contribution toward peace,” he said.
Victory alone was not enough and it appeared Costa Rica would cling to the last spot, but Jonathan Bornstein’s header in the fifth minute of injury-time gave the 10-man US a 2-2 draw with the Ticos in Washington to deny them.
On a cold and rainy night when Bryan Ruiz scored in the 21st minute and 24th minute to give Costa Rica a 2-0 lead, the US fought back to finish North American qualifying with three wins and two draws when their rivals scored first.
Michael Bradley, the US coach’s son, scored in the 72nd minute, but the Ticos were still on track for a World Cup berth until defender Bornstein took a pass from Robbie Rogers and nodded it past Costa Rica goalkeeper Keilor Navas.
“We put a lot of numbers in the box,” Bornstein said. “I don’t usually go up for that, but it was last shot time. No one marked me. I just snuck in there and the ball landed on my head.”
Mexico could have captured the CONCACAF qualifying crown, but settled for a closing 2-2 draw at Trinidad and Tobago.
Kerry Batiste opened the scoring for the hosts in the 32nd minute from the penalty spot. Mexico’s Enrique Alejandro Esqueda leveled in the 55th minute, but Baptiste scored his second goal of the game five minutes later.
Mexico’s Carlos Salcido netted the final goal in the 67th minute.
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