France, Portugal, Russia eye World Cup spots

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - France, Portugal and Russia all moved closer to next year's World Cup finals with first leg playoff wins on Saturday, although none of them did enough to take victory for granted in the second legs next week.

France, runners-up in Germany in 2006, beat Ireland 1-0 in Dublin with a late deflected goal from Nicolas Anelka, and start as favorites to finish the job in Paris on Wednesday.

Portugal beat Bosnia 1-0 in Lisbon with defender Bruno Alves heading the only goal in the first half, while two goals from Diniyar Bilyaletdinov put Russia 2-0 up against Slovenia who scored a vital away goal three minutes from time when substitute Nejc Pecnik headed home to make the final score 2-1.

Greece and Ukraine drew 0-0 in the first leg of their playoff in Athens, with Ukraine now favorites to take control of the tie at home in Donetsk on Wednesday.

While Saturday saw the start of the European playoffs, it also signaled the end of New Zealand's long wait to return to the finals for the first time since 1982.

They sealed their place in next year's extravaganza in South Africa with a 1-0 win in the second leg of their Asia/Oceania playoff against Bahrain to win the tie 1-0 on aggregate.

Costa Rica and Uruguay were meeting in the first leg of the South American/CONCACAF playoff early on Sunday (0200 GMT).

In Africa, Nigeria and Cameroon qualified for the finals but Egypt and Algeria must play off in Sudan on Wednesday after finishing with identical records in their qualifying group.

In a match of unrelenting drama in Cairo, Egypt beat Algeria 2-0 with their second, vital goal coming in the fifth minute of stoppage time with Algeria just seconds away from the finals.

DEFLECTED SHOT

France dominated for much of the match in front of 80,000 fans at Croke Park and went in front 18 minutes from time when Anelka's shot took a deflection off Sean St Ledger and left goalkeeper Shay Given helpless.

Striker Bilyaletdinov scored on either side of halftime and put the Russians in control over Slovenia in Moscow and in sight of their 10th World Cup finals appearance, including those made by the Soviet Union.

But Pecnik's late header gave the visitors real hopes of salvaging the tie in Maribor on Wednesday.

In Wellington, a header from Rory Fallon at the end of the first half and a missed second half Bahrain penalty saw New Zealand qualify.

Nigeria clinched their place when they came from behind to beat Kenya 3-2 in Nairobi with Obafemi Martins scoring twice to give them victory and allow them to snatch top place in African Group B from Tunisia.