France qualifies for World Cup on contentious goal

Greece, Slovenia, Portugal, Algeria, and Uruguay also advanced to next year's tournament in South Africa on the final day of qualifying, completing the 32-team field.

The teams will be drawn into eight groups on Dec. 4 in Cape Town, and the first World Cup on the African continent opens on June 11.

France avoided a penalty shootout at Stade de France with help from Swedish referee Martin Hansson, who failed to catch Henry slapping the ball with his hand to stop it going out of play and again to set it up for a cross that William Gallas headed in in the 103rd minute to secure the draw and a 2-1 win on aggregate against Ireland.

“He almost caught it and walked into the net with it,” said Robbie Keane, who had put the Irish ahead in the 33rd minute.

Henry admitted the handballs were intentional, and refused to apologize or express any sympathy for Ireland.

“I will be honest, it was a handball. But I'm not the ref,” Henry said. “I played it. The ref allowed it. That's a question you should ask him.” Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni was livid and had to be calmed by officials. Irish fans chanted “Cheat! Cheat!” at Henry.

“I'm not only disappointed tonight, I'm also very sad,” Trapattoni said. “The referee should have asked Henry, I'm sure he would have admitted there was a handball.” In the other European playoffs, Greece won 1-0 at Ukraine on Dimitrios Salpigidis' 31st-minute goal for a 2-1 aggregate victory to appear in its first finals since 1994.

“I can't find words to describe the atmosphere in the dressing room,” Greek Football Federation chairman Sofoklis Plavios said. “This triumph is unbelievable. No one is saying anything. They're just celebrating and hugging each other.”

Slovenia upset visiting Russia 1-0 behind Zlatko Dedic's 44th-minute goal to leave the aggregate 2-2 and advance on away goals;

“My guys became immortal,” Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek boasted.

Portugal won 1-0 at Bosnia-Herzegovina on Raul Meireles' second-half goal for a 2-0 aggregate win that gave FIFA player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo a World Cup trip.

Algeria qualified for its first World Cup since 1986, beating Egypt 1-0 in a tiebreaker playoff at Khartoum, Sudan, on Antar Yahya's goal in the 39th minute. Yahya scored with a right-footed volley that beat goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.

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