Garcia has Spanish sitting pretty

SPAIN, Switzerland and the Czech Republic all moved a step closer to the World Cup with victories on Saturday while Australia kept their hopes alive despite losing in the first leg of the play-offs.

Trinidad and Tobago were held at home by Bahrain in the only drawn match so apart from Spain, who crushed 10-man Slovakia 5-1 in Madrid, the ties are all finely balanced ahead of Wednesday's second legs in the battle for places in Germany next year.

Luis Garcia scored a hat-trick in Spain's emphatic win with goals after 10, 18 and 74 minutes, while Fernando Torres scored from a 65th minute penalty. Garcia's Liverpool team mate Fernando Morientes added the fifth 11 minutes from time.