PARIS, Nov 11: A goal from Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Michael Ballack kept Germany on track Saturday for a belated place in next summer’s World Cup finals as it brought the three-times champions a 1-1 first leg playoff draw in Ukraine.

Ballack converted a scrappy goal from close range on the half hour after Gennadi Zubov had drawn first blood for the Ukrainians in the 18th minute.

The draw means Germany are favourites to complete the job in Wednesday’s second leg in Dortmund.

German coach Rudi Voller had promised an all-or-nothing performance to make up for missing out in the group qualifiers to England after a 5-1 home thrashing in Munich two months ago.

The away goal means Germany will reach the finals for the 15th time in 15 attempts even if they only manage a goalless draw in the second leg.

Voller was generally satisfied with his team’s showing.

“It’s only half time with 90 minutes left but this is a result we can live with,” said Voller, who was a World Cup winner as a player in 1990 under Franz Beckenbauer, who believes the current squad is only “average”.

“Aside from the opening quarter of an hour I was happy with our performance. But it was one of my toughest tasks to shield the players from the pressure beforehand,” Voller explained.

Ireland, meanwhile, took a giant step towards a place in the finals with a 2-0 victory over Iran in Dublin.

Goals in each half from Leeds United duo Ian Harte and Robbie Keane secured a precious win that leaves Mick McCarthy’s side favourites to claim a ticket to Japan and South Korea going into Thursday’s second leg in Tehran.

Ireland were well worth the victory but Iran made them work hard for the result and missed two good second half chances.

“I am very satisfied with that,” Ireland boss McCarthy said.

“If you’d offered me a 2-0 win before the match I would have taken it. Is it going to be enough? I’ll tell you next Friday morning,” McCarthy added.

Iran’s left-sided centre-half Rahman Rezaei needlessly clipped Sunderland’s Jason McAteer for a clear-cut penalty and Harte hammered in the spotkick for the opener on the stroke of half-time.

Just six minutes into the second half Robbie Keane smashed home the second.

While the Irish look to have done the necessary and the Germans appear to have ridden out the storm there are questionmarks against the Czech Republic, who lost 1-0 in Brussels to injury-hit Belgium, and Romania, who went down 2-1 in Slovenia.

Perhaps the result of the night, however, was Turkey’s 1-0 success over Austria in Vienna, where Okan Buruk netted the only goal on the hour.

The Turks survived a scare when Mario Haas headed against the bar.

Austria’s strategy of not fielding their nine players who refused to play their final group qualifier in Israel backfired badly as the fringe squad members failed to break down the Turks.

The Turks now hope to reach the finals for the first time since 1954, their only previous showing, while their opponents are set to miss out on their eighth appearance.

Belgium ousted the Czech Republic to inch closer to a sixth consecutive finals appearance when stand-in striker Gert Verheyen, called up by coach Robert Waseige in place of the injured Schalke 04 star Emile Mpenza, scored on the half hour.

The Czechs then had had West Ham United defender Thomas Repka dismissed for elbowing Bart Goor and now have to chase the tie in Prague on Wednesday.

Slovenia meanwhile edged the Romanians out on the night, coming back from a goal down to win with a spectacular second goal from Milan Osterc, who fired in a left-footer from an acute angle out on the left flank.

Slovenia had to do without four of their first choice players including playmaker Zlatko Zahovic, whose place went to Osterc.

Mile Asimov bagged the hosts’ equaliser in freezing conditions after the Romanians had gone in front through Marius Niculae, who dribbled past Amir Karic to score his eighth international goal on 24 minutes.

The Romanians missed several good chances and must now overturn the deficit on Wednesday in Bucharest.

Saturday’s collated results:

EUROPE