Two goals in as many minutes from Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos teed up a comfortable victory for visiting Switzerland as their hopes of qualification from Group Two were boosted by a 3-0 win in Luxembourg.
Centre-back Senderos netted in the sixth minute to put his side ahead before repeating the feat just two minutes later to put the Swiss firmly in control of both the match and Group Two.
Benjamin Huggel made it three after 22 minutes and the hosts were unable to muster a response.
Wales' hopes of finishing third in World Cup European Qualifying Group Four were ended in the Olympic Stadium by a 2-1 defeat against Finland.
Manchester City's Craig Bellamy scored a fine first-half goal to make himself Wales' fifth-highest scorer of all time but the Welsh efforts drifted away in a disappointing second period.
Roni Porokara put Finland ahead in the opening minutes before Bellamy's equaliser. But defender Niklas Moisander drove home the winner with 14 minutes left.
Spain remained on course to complete a perfect record in qualifying as they made it nine wins from nine with a 2-1 victory over Armenia in a rain-drenched Yerevan.
In a match between a Spanish side who had already secured their spot in next year's World Cup finals and an Armenia team whose outside hopes of going to South Africa had vanished long ago, it was the European champions who came out on top thanks to Juan Mata's second-half penalty. His goal came just six minutes after Armenia had stunned their visitors by equalising through Robert Arzumanyan.
Spain had earlier taken the lead with a brilliant goal from Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas midway through the first half.
England's 100 per cent record in their World Cup qualifying group came to an end after Serhiy Nararenko's deflected strike earned Ukraine a 1-0 victory in Dnipro.
Nazarenko's shot struck Ashley Cole and flew past substitute goalkeeper David James in the 30th minute to halt England's run of eight successive wins.
James came on after West Ham United's Robert Green was sent off for bringing down Artem Milevskiy in the 13th minute, but Andriy Shevchenko's spot-kick hit the post.
Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov was on target but Bulgaria's slim hopes of clinching a World Cup play-off place were ended as Cyprus ran out 4-1 winners in their Group Eight qualifier in Larnaca.
Substitute Alberto Gilardino broke Republic of Ireland hearts as a last-gasp equaliser got World Cup holders Italy out of jail in a 2-2 draw at Croke Park.
Gilardino struck in the final minute of normal time just as it looked as though Sean St Ledger's 87th-minute header had blown the race for automatic qualification from World Cup European Group Eight wide open.
Ireland, who were already guaranteed a play-off spot thanks to Cyprus' win over Bulgaria earlier, had taken the lead through Stoke City midfielder Glenn Whelan's eighth-minute strike, but Mauro Camoranesi levelled with 26 minutes gone as the reigning champions booked their ticket to South Africa.
Arsenal's William Gallas and Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka were on target as France beat the Faroe Islands 5-0. André-Pierre Gignac (2) and Karim Benzema scored the others for France, who must qualify through the play-offs after Serbia booked their place in the finals thanks to a 5-0 win over Romania.
Didier Drogba scored the equaliser for Ivory Coast as a 1-1 draw against Malawi ensured they made next year's finals.
Hull City striker Daniel Cousin was on target as Gabon secured a surprise 3-1 victory over Morocco.
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