By Robin Toskin

After two years of trudging the road to the Fifa World Cup finals in South Africa, the mosaic of 32 finalists is complete.

Attention now shifts to the draw of the South Africa 2010 finals on December 4 in Cape Town, which if the drama on the pitch is anything to go by should also throw forth some of the most intriguing paring.

The world will be glued on TV sets and nefarious fan hope for a United States match up with North Korea, once described by former US President George W Bush as part of an ‘Axis of Evil.’

And how about Diego Maradona’s Argentina and his famous ‘Hand of God’ crossing paths with Fabio Capello’s England?

The English men surely must feel aggrieved as their Irish cousins, Republic of Ireland were knocked out by a ‘Hand of God II’ courtesy of France’s Thierry Henry.

The sight of Damien Duff crying after Henry’s controversial assist set up William Gallas to nod in a simple header to cancel out Robbie Keane’s sublime finish was humbling.

It could be the cruellest way for a team to exit especially the goal coming from Henry’s assist who appeared to have been offside in the first place and twice touching the ball before feeding Gallas from a Florent Malouda freekick.

But that is what the World Cup holds for those who dare to dream.

South Americans Uruguay were the last to qualify after a tense finish in Montevideo saw them claw 1-1 draw against Concacaf opposition Costa Rica.

It was a journey fraught with shocks, heartbreak, heart-stopping rhetoric and joy all watered with sweat and tears.

Diego Maradona clinched qualification on the last day of the Conmebol marathon fixture thanks to a 1-0 win in Uruguay, which sent the latter to a play off and the ‘Hand of God’ packing bags for South Africa.

It was frantic battle that led to Maradona losing his head and spewing unprintable words to a disbelieving media— an action that has since attracted a two-month ban and $25,000 fine.

While Maradona fried under the media gaze, his peer Carlos Dunga was breezing into the South Africa finals with a sleek side that has already won fiesta’s dress-rehearsal, the Confederations Cup.

In Africa, Algeria and Egypt served up heightened drama as they could not be separated after six matches culminating to a play-off in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where VFL Bockum defender Antar Yahia had the final say with a cracking volley.

The brilliant goal, that had Marco van Basten written all over it in reference to the Dutchman’s Euro 88 goal against Russia.

Algeria defender Madjid Bougherra saw the victory as poetic justice after their team bus was stoned and three players suffering facial cuts in Egyptial capital where the Pharaohs won 2-0 to send the fixture into a playoff.

"I am very happy because you know we have justice in the world," defender Madjid Bougherra told Reuters following the playoff in neutral Sudan.

"We played, we won and we just say to Egypt ‘shut up’," he added, limping but cheering with his fellow players. If Algeria thought justice had been served here on earth, Super Eagles’ faithful must now believe God is Nigeria.

The West Africans were prepared to miss the biggest sporting bonanza on earth until the gods of football answered their prayers when Tunisia who were holding a two-point lead in Group Two fell to a Dario Monteiro goal in Maputo.

The Carthage Eagles’ defeat meant Nigeria who won in Nairobi against Kenya leapfrogged them by a point.

The Super Eagles came up against fired up Kenyans but did enough to beat a superb Harambee Stars. There was a hint of luck when referee Eddie Maillet saw no evil in Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s goal, from Michael Eneramo’s initial attempt from an offside position, that put the Nigerian’s 2-1 up and swing the momentum in their favour.

Another African giant, Cameroon, were in danger of missing out also, but a late rally capped with a 2-0 win in Morocco ended Gabon’s spirited challenge for a first ever showing in the Fifa World Cup.

But while Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria were involved in heart-stopping action, Ghana were home and dry with hundred percent records.

Didier Drogba-inspired Cote d’Ivoire were good value for the talent as they coasted to the finals to be staged in Africa for the first time.

South Africa, as hosts, have not had to go through the punishing qualifiers but have a lot in their hands to worry about. Coach Carlos Parreira has returned after his countryman Joel Santana failed to craft an assuring side for the South Africans.

Returning to the World Cup finals after 28 years are Oceania representatives, New Zealand.

The All Whites beat Bahrain 1-0 on aggregate in the Oceani/Asia play offs thanks to Rory Fallon header following an inch-perfect Leo Bertos cross.

New Zealand last played in Spain where they finished last in a group that had Brazil, USSR and Scotland.

North Korea return to the Fifa World Cup for the first time since 1966 finals in England.

Having lived in the shadows of their brothers South Korea, Kim Jong-Hun’s men did well to qualify ahead of Saudi Arabia and Iran and would be happy to rub shoulders with the world’s big teams come next year.

In Europe, Russia and Arsenal mercurial player Andrei Arshavin will not be tormenting opponents in South Africa after a 1-0 loss in Slovenia meant coach Guus Hiddink’s goose had been cooked. SET