CSL Roundup: Swiss defeat Turks, taking WC ’06 berth

The playoff ended 4-4 on aggregate, allowing the Swiss, who’d won 2-0 in Bern four days earlier to qualify for their first finals since USA ’94.
And in scenes reminiscent of the mayhem that followed Ireland’s Euro 2000 playoff failure there six years ago, the match ended in an ugly brawl that left one Swiss player seriously injured and FIFA threatening the Turks with banishment from the 2010 World Cup.
Switzerland made a lively start, winning a penalty after just 20 seconds when former Aston Villa defender Ozalan Alpay handled in the box. Alexander Frei scored the resultant penalty to make it 3-0 on aggregate.
Then began the Turkish barrage. Tuncay Sanli leveled with a brilliant diving header (24th), Hakan Sukur made it 2-1 before the interval (38th), and seven minutes in the second half, Necati Ates put the hosts 3-1 up and in need of one more goal to qualify.
Switzerland, however, kept their collective nerve and capitalized on Turkey’s exposed defense to pull one back through Marco Streller six minutes from time.
Sanli’s second goal on the stroke of full time set the stage for a heart stopping finish. But the Swiss held out during the four minutes of added time. They raced off the pitch at the final whistle to avoid a barrage of missiles from irate fans only to be embroiled in a fight on the way to the dressing rooms.
Switzerland beat out Israel and Ireland for the playoff spot in a qualifying group won by 1998 World Cup winners France.
Turkey’s failure, meanwhile, was a major let down for that football-crazy nation after a remarkable run in Japan/Korea ’02 where they lost 1-0 to Brazil in the semifinals.

WIZARDS OF OZ
Towering Middlesbrough goalie Mark Schwarzer pulled off two saves in a dramatic penalty shoot-out with Uruguay to inspire Australia to a 4-2 win that secured the Socceroos’ return to the World Cup after 32 years.
It was the first time in history that a penalty shoot-out had been used to determine who qualifies for the World Cup directly.
A capacity 83,000 crowd in Sydney saw Parma midfielder Marco Bresciano cancel out Uruguay’s 1-0 advantage from the first leg after 34 minutes.
Coached part-time by PSV Eindhoven boss Guus Hiddink, the Aussies outplayed the 1930 and 1950 World Cup winners but had to wait until the spot kicks to clinch victory.
Coincidentally, Australia’s last World Cup appearance was in Germany back in 1974.

CZECHS QUALIFY
World Cup losing finalists as Czechoslovakia in 1962 and last seen at the big dance under that flag in 1990, the Czech Republic sealed qualification for Germany ’06 with a 1-0 decision over Norway in Prague.
Tomas Rosicky (35th) scored to complete a 2-0 aggregate victory.

SPANISH ARMADA
Slovakia, the other half of the defunct Czechoslovakia state, came up predictably short against a Spanish side leading 5-1 from the first leg.
They could only draw 1-1 in Bratislava after Filip Holosko’s (50th) long awaited strike was canceled out by David Villa (71st).
“Now it’s official, we’re in the World Cup,” said Spain’s outspoken Luis Aragones, “It’s now down to us to work as hard as possible to prepare for next year.”

T&T CARNIVAL
Trinidad and Tobago’s “Soca Warriors” triggered an early start to Carnival when they upset Bahrain 1-0 in Manama to reach their first World Cup. A national holiday was declared on the Twin Islands the day after their qualification.
Dennis Lawrence, a beanpole center half with Wrexham, headed in the only goal of the match after 49 minutes to give the West Indians a 2-1 aggregate win in the Inter-continental playoff.
It was a stunning result for the side of mostly nondescript English lower league performers such as Ian Cox and Brent Sancho (Gillingham), Christopher Birchall (Port Vale) and Carlos Edwards (Luton).
Trinidad, however, had the great Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker in charge and were driven by former Manchester United goal poacher Dwight Yorke, now playing in Australia, and Russell Latapy, the ex-Hibernian and Glasgow Rangers midfielder who’s now player-coach of Falkirk in the Scottish Premier League.

WORLD CUP DRAW
Last week’s five playoff winners will join the 27 earlier qualifiers in the World Cup draw in Leipzig on December 9 to decide the groupings in the 32-nation finals.
The other countries whose names will go in the pot are: United States, Mexico, Costa Rica (CONCACAF); Germany, England, Poland, Holland, Ukraine, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Sweden, France, Serbia & Montenegro (Europe); Angola, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Tunisia (Africa).
Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay (South America) and Japan, Iran, South Korea and Saudi Arabia (Asia) complete the field.