A quick summary of action around the UEFA playoffs on WED 18 NOV 2009.
» Ukraine 00-01 Greece: Greece reach the Men’s World Cup for the first time in sixteen years as Dimitris SALPIGIDAS scored the critical away goal in the first half, leading to a 1-0 aggregate win.
» Bosnia-Herzegovina 00-01 Portugal: Portugal won 2-0 on aggregate thanks to RAÚL MEIREILES’s second half goal.
» Slovenia 01-00 Russia: Nejc PEČNIK’s late goal in the first leg proved critical as Zlatko DEDIČ levelled the series 2-2 on aggregate at the end of the first half. That put the Slovenians up 1-0 on away goals, and Russia’s hopes of coming back diminished as first Aleksandr KERZHAKOV and then Yuri ZHIRKOV were sent off.
» France 01-01 Ireland Rep [F/OT]: But the most dramatic and contentious match was in Saint-Denis, where Robbie KEANE scored in the first half. Together with Nicolas ANELKA’s goal in the first leg, the series was level at 1-1, both goals away. When the match went to overtime, William GALLAS headed in France’s winning goal after a Thierry HENRY handball – which he admitted to postmatch – was missed by referee Martin HANSSON. France held on to win 2-1 on aggregate, but certainly Irish bitterness will not dwindle when South Africa 2010 kicks off without them.
¤ Qualified: France, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia