New Zealand, Cameroon, Nigeria reach World Cup

Nov 15, 2009 - 4:33 AM By ROBERT MILLWARD AP Soccer Writer

LONDON(AP) -- New Zealand reached the World Cup for the first time since 1982, with Cameroon and Nigeria also qualifying Saturday for next year's showcase in South Africa.

Algeria was seconds from qualifying in Cairo, but Emad Meteab headed in a goal in the fifth minute of second-half injury time, giving Egypt a 2-0 victory over the visitors that forced a tiebreaker playoff between them on Wednesday in Sudan.

Egyptian fans greeted the Algerian team at the airport on Thursday by pelting its bus with stones, and Algerian officials said two team members were injured. On Saturday, both Khaled Lemmouchia and Rafik Halliche wore head bandages while playing.

"We played under warlike conditions," Algerian Football Association president Mohammad Rawrawa said. "It was difficult to perform well, but we will win on Wednesday in Sudan because the atmosphere will be calmer."

In the first leg of European playoffs, France won 1-0 at Ireland on a deflected goal by Nicolas Anelka, Portugal beat visiting Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 on a goal by Bruno Alves, Russia won 2-1 at home against Slovenia as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov scored twice and Greece was held to 0-0 by visiting Ukraine.

"We have seen that the Irish team are a very difficult team to beat," said French forward Thierry Henry, who is bidding to play at his fourth World Cup. "They didn't lose a game in qualification, so what we did tonight is nice. But it's still 90 minutes to go, and it's going to be a tough game for us in Paris."

In the first leg of the South American-North and Central American and Caribbean playoff, Uruguay beat 10-man Costa Rica 1-0 on Diego Lugano's 23rd-minute goal, giving Uruguay, a two-time world champion, the big advantage in the second leg at home in Montevideo.

Twenty-six of the 32 World Cup berths are set, with the remainder settled on Wednesday. The draw dividing the teams into eight first-round groups is Dec. 4.

At Wellington, Rory Fallon scored on a header off a corner kick in the 44th minute, and New Zealand held on to beat Bahrain 1-0.

The teams finished scoreless at Manama on Oct. 10 in the first leg between the Oceania champion and the fifth-place team in Asian qualifying.

Bahrain, which has never appeared in the World Cup, lost a playoff to Trinidad and Tobago four years ago. It could have tied the aggregate score in the 50th minute - and moved ahead on away goals - but Sayed Adnan took a weak penalty kick that easily was saved by goalkeeper Mark Paston, who fell on the ball. It came after Tony Lochhead brought down Abdulla Omar in the penalty area.

"I basically just guessed which way he'd go, and the ball ended up in my hands," Paston said. "It's a bit surreal really."

Cameroon qualified for its sixth World Cup, beating Morocco 2-0 at Fez as Achille Webo scored in the 18th minute and Samuel Eto'o added on in the 52nd.

After missing the 2006 tournament, the Indomitable Lions got off to a slow start in the final round of qualifying for 2010, losing to Togo and tying Morocco. But Cameroon won its final four matches to finish first in Group A with 13 points, four ahead of second-place Gabon.

The six World Cup appearances for Cameroon are the most among African nations.

Nigeria, which also missed the 2002 tournament, overtook Tunisia on the final day of its World Cup qualifying campaign by coming from behind to win 3-2 against Kenya in Nairobi.

Obafemi Martins scored twice for the Super Eagles, who qualified three straight times starting in 1994 before falling short of the 2006 tournament.

Nigeria finished first in Group B with 12 points, one ahead of Tunisia, which lost 1-0 at Mozambique.

Dennis Oliech put Kenya ahead in the 16th minute when he beat goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama with a low shot. Martins tied it in the 62nd off a pass from Peter Odemwingie, and Nigeria went ahead three minutes later when Ayegbeni Yakubu hit a post and converted the rebound. Allan Wetende retied it when he scored off a header in the 79th, but Martins scored again in the 83rd.

At Maputo, Dario scored in the 83rd minute as Mozambique thwarted Tunisia, which was sent to its first loss in qualifying since its opener in June 2008. Tunisia has appeared in four World Cups, including the last three.

At Cairo, Amr Zaki scored in the second minute and Meteab, who entered in the 65th, got the goal that forced the playoff. Egypt and Algeria finished tied atop Group C with 4-1-1 records, nine goals for, four goals against and a 1-1 head-to-head record.

In World Cup tuneups, Brazil beat England 1-0 at Doha, Qatar, on Nilmar's goal early in the second half, European champion Spain won 2-1 against visiting Argentina as Xabi Alonso scored twice, and defending World Cup champion Italy was held to 0-0 at home by the Netherlands.