Switzerland and Croatia book FIFA World Cup places

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Switzerland will be at next summer’s FIFA World Cup after beating Northern Ireland One Nil on aggregate in the all-or-nothing two-leg play-offs. The goal that put the Swiss on the plane to Russia was a controversial penalty scored in the first match in Belfast. Northern Ireland’s players had their chances in Basle in match two but it wasn’t to be.

There were no goals either in Athens in the night’s other qualifier. That suited Croatia just fine, the Croats having all but confirmed their presence at the world cup finals when they beat Greece 4-1 in the first leg.