LONDON (Reuters) - World Cup winners Italy and runners-up France can take
significant steps towards the Euro 2008 finals before the curtain falls
on the international season on Wednesday.
Reigning European champions Greece, who have also made an excellent start
to their campaign, should pick up another three points when they face
Moldova in Crete in their bid to reach the finals in Austria and Switzerland
and defend their title.
Italy, who squeaked a narrow 2-1 win in the Faroe Islands in their Group
B match on Saturday, will be keen to beat Lithuania in Vilnius after stumbling
to a 1-1 draw against them in their opening qualifier in Naples last September.
France, who lead Italy by two points and beat Ukraine 2-0 in Paris on
Saturday, are also expected to be too strong for visitors Georgia in Auxerre
as they bid to cement their place at the top of the group.
France beat Georgia 3-0 in their opening qualifier nine months ago and
lead the standings with 15 points from six matches, followed by Italy
on 13 and Ukraine and Scotland on 12.
Scotland should move above Ukraine, who are not playing, when they make
the short flight across the North Atlantic to the Faroes.
Greece will finish the season top of Group C no matter the outcome of
Wednesday's results.
They are two points ahead of Turkey, who are not playing, and five clear
of Bosnia who dramatically beat the Turks 3-2 with a late goal on Saturday.
FIRST HALF
Most of the teams leading their groups look set to end the first half
of the qualifiers in top place, although Northern Ireland will probably
be knocked off their perch in Group F.
The Irish, on 13 points from six matches, are without a game and either
Sweden, who are at home to Iceland, or Spain, who visit Liechtenstein,
can dislodge them.
Sweden have 12 points from five matches after Saturday's game with Denmark
in Copenhagen was abandoned a minute from time after the referee was attacked
by a drunken Danish fan with the score level at 3-3.
UEFA will decide on Friday on what action to take, but until then their
official standings do not include Saturday's result.
Germany, the Group D leaders who beat San Marino 6-0 on Saturday, should
also extend their grip with a win over Slovakia in Hamburg which would
move them five points clear of the Czech Republic, who do not play again
until September.
Poland, who travel to Armenia, are five points clear in Group A with a
good chance of qualifying for the finals for the first time. Portugal
and Serbia, who trail Poland in second and third places, are without a
game.
Romania will be looking to pull away from the Netherlands at the top of
Group G when they host Slovenia and Bulgaria could overtake the Dutch,
who are not playing, if they beat Belarus.
Croatia, who have never lost a competitive match at home in 32 matches
since 1994, host Russia in an intriguing game at the top of Group E.
The Croatians won 1-0 in Estonia on Saturday to stay top of a tight section,
two points ahead of Israel and Russia.
England, the other contenders in the group although they are fourth, have
11 points and did not play on Saturday, drawing 1-1 with Brazil in a friendly
on Friday in the first senior international at the new Wembley Stadium.
They have to win in Estonia to keep their prospects alive while anything
less will almost certainly spell the end of their qualifying hopes and
Steve McClaren's reign as manager.
,
06 Jun 2007
Russian ladies dream about happy marriage.
Click on a photo...
