Liverpool star Luis Garcia scored a sensational hat-trick for Spain on Saturday night as they thrashed Slovakia 5-1 in the first leg of their World Cup Play Off with Fernando Morientes also finding the net within four minutes of coming on.

Liverpool's Spanish midfielder was the toast of his country after scoring twice in the first 17 minutes and completing his hat-trick in the 74th minute as Spain romped to a vital 5-1 home victory over Slovakia in the first leg of their World Cup Play Off.

Garcia struck in the 9th minute with a perfect header from a Xavi cross to send Spain into an early lead and was on target again eight minutes later when Xavi again set him up to ram the ball beyond Slovakia 'keeper Contofalsky. The goal that sealed his hat-trick came half-way through the second half when Garcia managed to convert a cross from the left from Vicente.

Spain's fifth and final goal came from Garcia's Premiership team-mate Fernando Morientes who netted just four minutes after coming off the bench to replace the hat-trick hero.

Garcia was the only Liverpool player to start the game with Xabi Alonso joining Morientes as a second-half substitute. Pepe Reina was an unused substitute.

Elsewhere, Steven Gerrard helped England to a dramatic late win against Argentina in Geneva as Sven-Goran Eriksson's side twice came from behind to record an amazing 3-2 victory.

The Reds captain was the only Liverpool player to start the match for England and set up former Anfield star Michael Owen to score a late equaliser in the 87th minute to make the score 2-2. Owen was on target just minutes later to win the game with Peter Crouch now on as a substitute.

In the Stade de France, Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse was a 70th minute substitute for the French national side as they drew 0-0 with next year's World Cup hosts Germany in a friendly.

While England and France were simply playing for pride, there was far more at stake for Liverpool stars John Arne Riise and Harry Kewell with the first-legs of their respective World Cup Play Offs.

While there was joy for Garcia and Gerrard, there was only pain for Riise who couldn't stop his Norway team from losing 1-0 at home to the Czech Republic. To rub salt into his wounds, the only goal of the game was scored by Riise's former Anfield team-mate Vladimir Smicer.

There was World Cup heartache for Kewell too as Australia slumped to a 1-0 defeat away to Uruguay. Kewell played all 90 minutes but could do nothing to stop his side falling to a Dario Rodriguez strike after 36 minutes.