LONDON -- Three-time champion Germany beat Ukraine 4-1 Wednesday to qualify for the World Cup, while Slovenia, Turkey and Belgium also advanced to next year's tournament.

Brazil attempts to clinch its 17th appearance in 17 World Cups when it plays at home against Venezuela later Wednesday.

Germany won its home-and-home, total-goals playoff 5-2. Slovenia tied Romania 1-1 Wednesday and clinched its first-ever World Cup spot on a 3-2 aggregate; Turkey earned its first berth since 1954 by beating Austria 5-0 for a 6-0 aggregate; and Belgium qualified for the sixth straight time by defeating the Czech Republic 1-0 for a 2-0 aggregate.

Ireland and Iran play in Tehran on Thursday in another playoff. Ireland won the opening game 2-0.

In Dortmund, Germany scored three goals in the first 15 minutes. Michael Ballack - who also scored in the second half - Oliver Neuville and Marko Rehmer gave the hosts the big lead.

Andriy Shevchenko scored a late goal for Ukraine.

"We were under great pressure," Ballack said. "Failing to qualify would have been a huge disappointment for the entire nation."

In Bucharest, Mladen Rudonja scored in the 57th minute for Slovenia, a country of only 2 million people which broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991.

In Istanbul, Yildiray Basturk, Hakan Sukur and Okan Buruk scored in the first half for Turkey, and Arif Erdem added two later goals.

In Prague, Marc Wilmots made a late penalty kick for Belgium.

In exhibition games Wednesday, Malta upset Canada 2-1 for its first victory of the year, Cyprus edged Greece 2-1, Russia beat Latvia 3-1, Cameroon tied Poland 0-0; Kazakstan tied Estonia 0-0, and Hungary beat Macedonia 5-0.