Football Corner

Switzerland, Czech Republic and Spain have all qualified for next years World Cup in Germany. Switzerland survived a nail-biting second-leg World Cup play-off against Turkey to qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals on the away goals rule. The Swiss appeared to be cruising when Alex Frei converted a second-minute penalty after Alpay Ozalan's handball. But two first-half headers from Tuncay Sanli and Necati Ates' 52nd-minute penalty revived Turkey's hopes. Marco Streller's 84th-minute goal eased Swiss nerves before Tuncay completed his hat-trick with another headed goal.

Meanwhile, A Tomas Rosicky goal ensured the Czech Republic reached the World Cup finals for the first time in their history as they beat Norway 2-0 on aggregate. Rosicky drove home a low shot into the corner of the net after Milan Baros's effort just inside the penalty area deflected off John Arne Riise. Petr Cech made several fine saves to keep Norway at bay and record his second successive clean sheet. Tempers flared late on as Riise fouled Zdenek Grygera in going for a header. Riise appeared to come off worse, lying prone on the ground for several minutes and receiving a yellow card.

And finally, Spain coasted through to the World Cup finals in 2006 after drawing with Slovakia in their second-leg play-off. Luis Aragones' side had established a commanding 5-1 first-leg lead and Slovakia never really looked like clawing back that daunting deficit. Five minutes into the second half Filip Holosko side-footed home to briefly give Slovakia hope of causing an upset. But on 71 minutes substitute David Villa restored Spain's four-goal aggregate lead with a crisp shot.

Just as I predicted on Saturday that all of the side's that won the first leg's would progress to the World Cup finals. The Turkey fight back was very very good and the Turkish team can take alot of credit from that. Spain's progressing was already pretty much sorted after their impressive 5-1 first leg win so that match was a pretty much anti-climax. I thought that the Czechs would of beaten Norway by a couple of goals being at home and all.