Soccer: Big guns reach World Cup finals

LONDON - The Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, England and Poland all secured their places in the 2006 World Cup finals in the penultimate round of European qualifiers today.

With Ukraine already through to join hosts Germany the remaining automatic qualifiers and playoff berths will be decided on Wednesday.

The Netherlands advanced with 2-0 win at fellow Euro 2004 semi-finalists the Czech Republic - a result that had widespread ramifications as it also sent through England and Poland and kept Romania in the hunt for a Group One playoff spot after their 1-0 win in Finland.

The clash in Prague between the top two in Group One lived up to expectations, particularly in an action-packed first half.

Edwin van der Sar saved a harshly-awarded penalty by Tomas Rosicky in the 29th minute and a minute later Rafael van der Vaart put the Dutch ahead.

Barry Opdam headed the second in the 37th and though the home side made most of the running after the break it was the massed ranks of orange-clad visiting fans celebrating at the end.

The victory sent the Dutch to Germany as group winners with a game to spare and left the Czechs needing to win in Finland to pip Romania for second.

England qualify, Beckham off

England had earlier limped to an uninspired 1-0 home win over Austria despite having captain David Beckham sent off after an hour -- the first England player ever to be dismissed twice and the first England captain to be sent off in England's 133-year international history.

However, it proved enough once the Dutch won as they and Poland, who were not in action, are guaranteed at least one of the two best-runners-up places.

That left their Manchester meeting on Wednesday merely to decide the Group Six honours.

Portugal stuttered to a 2-1 home win over Liechtenstein but it was enough to secure top spot in Group Three for the Euro 2004 runners-up.

Slovakia edged Estonia 1-0 while Russia beat Luxembourg 5-1 to set up a deciding head-to-head in Bratislava when Slovakia need a draw and Russia a win to clinch the Group Three playoff berth.

The day began with no less than 12 permutations of the top two finishers in Group Four and ended little clearer with the top four all still in contention.

France seemed on course for the finals via Djibril Cisse's 52nd minute goal until a late equaliser earned Switzerland a 1-1 draw in Bern.

That left both sides on 17 points, one behind Israel, who completed an unbeaten campaign with a 2-1 home win over the Faroe Islands but still seem set to miss out.

Ireland won 1-0 in Cyprus to move to 16 and they face Switzerland in Dublin on Wednesday in a game they must win.

France should still win the group by beating Cyprus in Paris but, with a history of slip-ups in similar encounters, the 1998 world champions will take nothing for granted.

Italy through

Italy eased though on top of Group Five with a 1-0 home win over Slovenia courtesy of a 77th-minute Cristian Zaccardo goal - a result that also secured a playoff slot for second-placed Norway after they beat Moldova by the same score in Oslo.

Croatia reclaimed control of Group Eight with Darijo Srna's second-half penalty securing a 1-0 home win over Sweden and left the Croats needing a point from Wednesday's trip to Hungary to top the group.

Sweden will also go through as at least the other best runners-up if they beat Iceland.

Serbia & Montenegro are on the verge of qualifying after their 2-0 win over Lithuania left them needing to beat Bosnia at home to definitely qualify, though Spain kept up the pressure by winning 2-0 in Belgium to stay second and Bosnia are still hopeful after beating San Marino 3-0.

Already-qualified Ukraine drew 2-2 at home with Albania but the battle for second in Group Two will go to the final round with Turkey, European champions Greece and Denmark still in the hunt.

Turkey (20 points), who beat Germany 2-1 in a friendly in Istanbul, remain favourites as they will finish second if they win their final game in Albania.

Denmark beat Greece 1-0 to move to 19 points, with the Greeks on 18 and both needing a Turkish slip to have a chance.

- REUTERS