Uruguay have appeared in playoffs for places in the last three Men’s World Cups. They have now won two of them, as they defeated Costa Rica 2-1 on aggregate in the CONCACAF/​CONMEBOL playoff. Diego LUGANO scored for la Celeste in the first leg, and the teams were greeted by heavy rains for the return leg in Montevideo. Sebastián ABREU gave Uruguay a 2-0 aggregate lead in the 69th minute, but Walter CENTENO responded with a goal just four minutes later. Costa Rica, though, could not find the all important second goal, and Uruguay will appear at their eleventh Men’s World Cup.

A quick summary of action around the UEFA playoffs on WED 18 NOV 2009. more...

The Desert Foxes of Algeria are in the Men’s World Cup for the first time since 1986 as they defeated Egypt 1-0 in a playoff for the CAF Group C title. Antar YAHIA scored the spectacular winner in the 39th minute when he volleyed in a lob from Karim ZIANI off the underside of the bar. The match, played at Sudan’s National Stadium in Omdurman, was necessitated when the Pharaohs defeated Algeria 2-0 on the last day of Group C action, leaving the teams deadlocked atop the group on all tiebreaking criteria.

A quick summary of action around the CAF second group phase on the weekend of SAT 14-SUN 15 NOV 2009. more...

A quick summary of action around the UEFA playoffs on SAT 14 NOV 2009. more...

New Zealand qualified for the 2010 Men’s World Cup with a 1-0 win over Bahrain in the second leg of the AFC/​OFC playoff final. The first leg in Manama had ended goalless, giving Bahrain a slight advantage as the teams entered Wellington. But Rory FALLON put the All Whites in front with a header from Leo BERTOS’s corner just before halftime. Five minutes after the break, Bahrain’s Abdulla OMAR was pulled down in the area – the resulting penalty by Sayed ADNAN was saved by Mark PASTON. New Zealand held on to win 1-0 on aggregate and reach the Men’s World Cup for the second time in their history, having previously qualified in 1982.

The draw for the UEFA playoffs put massive challenges in the way of two recent champions. France, 1998 Men’s World Cup and Euro 2000 champions, must face Ireland Rep, whilst Euro 2004 champions Greece will play Ukraine. Each two leg series is played SAT 14-WED 18 NOV 2009. more...

France, Portugal, Russia, and Greece have been announced as the four seeded teams for the UEFA playoffs. As the four leading teams in the OCT 2009 FIFA rankings, they will each be drawn against one of the unseeded teams: Ukraine, Ireland Rep, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Slovenia. The playoff draw takes place at 12:00 UTC on MON 19 OCT 2009 in Zürich, Switzerland. more...

A quick summary of action around the CONCACAF final round on WED 14 OCT 2009. more...

A quick summary of action around CONMEBOL on WED 14 OCT 2009. more...

A quick summary of action around the UEFA group phase on WED 14 OCT 2009. more...

A quick summary of action around the CONCACAF final round on SAT 10 OCT 2009. more...

A quick summary of action around CONMEBOL on the weekend of SAT 10-SUN 11 OCT 2009. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second group phase on the weekend of SAT 10-SUN 11 OCT 2009. more...

A quick summary of action around the UEFA group phase on SAT 10 OCT 2009. more...

A quick summary of action around CONMEBOL on WED 09 SEP 2009. more...