New Zealand, Cameroon, Nigeria earn World Cup berths with victories

New Zealand, Cameroon, Nigeria reach World Cup

New Zealand reached the World Cup for the first time since 1982, with Cameroon and Nigeria also qualifying Saturday for next year’s soccer showcase in South Africa.

Algeria was perhaps 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 the nations on Wednesday in Sudan.

In the first leg of European playoffs, Russia beat Slovenia 2-1, Greece was held to a 0-0 tie by visiting Ukraine, France was at Ireland and Bosnia-Herzegovina at Portugal. In the playoff for the final berth, Uruguay was at Costa Rica in the first leg.

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

In a World Cup tuneup, the United States lost 1-0 at Slovakia, which got a 26th-minute penalty kick from Marek Hamsik. Brazil beat England 1-0 at Doha, Qatar, on Nilmar’s goal early in the second half. In late games, defending champion Italy hosted the Netherlands and Argentina was at Spain.

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 had played a 0-0 tie at Manama on Oct. 10 in the first leg of the home-and-home, total-goals playoff 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 a goal 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 (4-1-1) won its final four matches to finish first in Group A with 13 points, four ahead of second-place Gabon (3-3).

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 (3-0-3) finished first in Group B with 12 points, one ahead of Tunisia (3-1-2), 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 a 4-1-1 record, nine goals for, four goals against and a 1-1 head-to-head record.