Ukraine will have to wait to qualify for next year's World Cup football finals in Germany. Ukraine had the lead against Georgia on Saturday but Georgi Gakhokidze scored in the 89th minute for a 1-1 tie in a match played in an empty stadium in Tbilisi because of fan misbehavior. Ukraine can still earn its first ever World Cup berth with a victory or a draw against Turkey on Wednesday in Kiev. Ruslan Rutan scored the lone Ukraine goal on Saturday in the 44th minute.
In other European World Cup qualifying, England defeated Wales 1-0 on Saturday in Cardiff when Joe Cole scored in the 54th minute. Cole took a cross pass from Shaun Wright-Phillips who had received a long pass from England's captain David Beckham. Cole put a deflected side-footed shot past Wales goalkeeper Danny Coyne for the victory. The win gives England temporary leadership of European Group 6 in World Cup qualifying.
Three-time World Cup champion Italy remained on course to qualify for its 12th straight World Cup as the Italians fought to a 1-1 tie with Scotland in Glasgow Saturday. Italy leads Group 5 by 14 points. Fabio Grosso scored for Italy in the 76th minute.
In other Saturday World Cup qualifying matches:
Israel 1 Switzerland 1
Sweden 3 Bulgaria 0
Tunisia 2 Kenya 0
Moldova 2 Belarus 0
Russia 2 Liechtenstein 0
Estonia 2 Latvia 1
Senegal 1 Zambia 0
Uzbekistan 1 Bahrain 0
Northern Ireland 2 Azerbaijan 0
Finland 0 Andorra 0
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.