Swiss roll on as Tuncay hat-trick fails to save Turks

SWITZERLAND held on in Istanbul last night to book their place in next year’s World Cup despite a stunning fight back from Turkey at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.

Tuncay Sanli grabbed a hat-trick for Turkey but it was not enough as they crashed out on the away goals rule. Turkey won 4-2 on the night but it finished 4-4 on aggregate.

The Swiss looked to be cruising when Alexander Frei put them 1-0 ahead with a first-minute penalty but Turkey refused to throw in the towel.

They now needed to win by three goals because of Switzerland’s away goal and they came so close.

The fightback started on 22 minutes when Tuncay Sanli got them back on level terms and 14 minutes later, he scored again to make it 2-1.

Turkey came out after half-time and were awarded a penalty on 52 minutes, which Necati Ates duly put away.

They continued to press for the fourth goal but their hopes were effectively ended when Marco Streller struck for the Swiss on 84 minutes.

Tuncay completed his hat-trick with a minute to go to make it 4-2 but Turkey ran out of time.

The Czech Republic are also through after seeing off a determined challenge from Norway.

With the Czechs already 1-0 up from the first leg in Oslo, Borussia Dortmund star Tomas Rosicky, who had been doubtful due to a minor injury, eased the home side’s nerves with a fine goal on 35 minutes.

That was enough to secure a 2-0 aggregate win and a place in the finals.

Spain are also through after coasting to a 1-1 draw in Slovakia.

Luis Aragones’ side had established a commanding 5-1 first-leg lead.

Five minutes into the second half Filip Holosko side-footed home to briefly give Slovakia hope of an upset.

But on 71 minutes substitute David Villa restored Spain’s four-goal aggregate lead with a crisp shot.

There were wild scenes of celebration in Australia as the Socceroos reached their first World Cup finals since 1974 after a penalty shoot-out victory over Uruguay.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Australia levelled on aggregate through Marco Bresciano’s first-half strike in a fiery match the hosts dominated in front of 82,698 at Telstra Stadium.

The Socceroos hung on to their 1-0 lead and in the shootout, Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer saved twice, from Fabian Estoyonoff and Dario Rodriguez, before John Aloisi tucked away Australia’s fifth spot-kick to secure a famous win.

Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink, who also manages Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, can enhance his World Cup pedigree after taking South Korea to the semi-finals in 2002.

In Manama, Wrexham defender Dennis Lawrence headed the only goal of the second leg as Trinidad and Tobago beat Bahrain 2-1 on aggregate to secure their first appearance at the World Cup finals.

Lawrence scored four minutes after half-time with a header from Dwight Yorke’s corner to send the Caribbean nation into the finals and earn the CONCACAF region a fourth World Cup place in Germany next summer.