Slovenia topple Slovakia to keep chances alive

Goals from Valter Birsa and Nejc Pecnik helped Slovenia topple Slovakia 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier that all but secured the top two spots in Group Three for both teams in Bratislava on Saturday.

Slovakia, which needed a point to go straight to South Africa, now top Group Three with 19 points ahead of Slovenia, which have 17 points and face minnows San Marino in the last qualifier on Wednesday while Slovakia travel to Poland.

Auxerre midfielder Birsa put Slovenia ahead in the 56th minute with a shot from 20 metres that swerved across the box and into the top corner.

Pecnik then sealed Slovenia’s victory just before the final whistle after converting a four-on-one break.

The result upset 25,000 people at a crumbling Tehelne pole stadium, who were hoping to see Slovakia secure a World Cup debut.

Slovakia has never played at the European championships or the World Cup since it became an independent country when the former Czechoslovak federation split amicably in 1993.

Its partner in the federation, the Czech Republic, beat Poland 2-0 with second-half goals from Tomas Necid and Jaroslav Plasil in Prague.

Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky set up substitute striker Necid who tipped the ball past the Polish keeper in the 51st minute, and Bordeaux midfielder Jaroslav Plasil dived for a header to score 72 minutes into the game.

But the Czechs are trailing Slovenia by two points which makes their hopes of qualifying pure theory ahead of their last game against Northern Ireland.

The Czechs, who have played at World Cup 2006 and all Euro tournaments between 1996 and 2008, are now pinning their hopes on San Marino, last in the group with no points, one goal for and 44 against.