MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay – Uruguay claimed the final spot in next year’s 32-team World Cup in South Africa by drawing with Costa Rica 1-1 to take the two-leg playoff 2-1 on aggregate Wednesday.
Substitute Sebastian Abreu gave Uruguay a 1-0 lead on a header in the 70th minute, and Walter Centeno leveled in the 74th on a 16-meter strike. Uruguay won the first match 1-0 Saturday in Costa Rica.
“It was a tough game,” Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said.
Uruguay won the 1930 and 1950 World Cups. It beat Australia in a playoff to reach the 2002 World Cup, and lost a playoff to Australia to miss out in 2006. Costa Rica was trying to reach its third straight finals.
Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Argentina had already advanced from South America. The United States, Mexico and Honduras are the qualifiers from the North and Central American and Caribbean region.
Uruguay had most of the early chances including dangerous strikes from Diego Forlan and Nicolas Lodeiro, which forced key saves from Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Victor Nunez had Costa Rica’s first threatening shot after about 25 minutes. Costa Rica’s best chance until its late goal was a shot by Cristian Bolanos from long range that was turned away by Uruguay keeper.
Uruguay seemed to have the World Cup berth wrapped up after Abreu’s goal, but Centeno’s quick strike gave Costa Rica hope and opened up the match.

Spain dominates
Spain underscored its status as World Cup favorites Wednesday by swatting Austria 5-1 away in an international friendly encounter, David Villa twice on target.
But three-time winner Germany, which Spain beat in the final of Euro 2008, had to rely on a last-gasp goal from Lukas Podolski to secure a 2-2 home draw with Ivory Coast.
Reigning world champion Italy saw a second string side come through 1-0 at home to a Sweden team missing star player Zlatan Ibrahimovic with central defender Giorgio Chiellini netting in Cesena.
Denmark, had to come from a goal down to beat the United States 3-1 at Aarhus.
Two other qualifiers, Holland and Paraguay, parted goalless in the Netherlands while Serbia ended a 27-match unbeaten South Korea run with striker Nikola Zigic on target with the only goal in their game at Fulham’s Craven Cottage.
African Nations Cup hosts Angola parted 0-0 with a Ghana side missing key players Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and Asamoah Gyan. – AFP