World champions Italy, France, England, Scotland and Spain are among the Euro 2008 hopefuls who face key qualifiers on Saturday.
But all the pressure will be on Italy, France who have must-win games
PARIS:World champions Italy, France, England, Scotland and Spain are among the Euro 2008 hopefuls who face key qualifiers on Saturday as the scramble for next year’s tournament enters its final straight.
With three matches left in the group stages, the line up for next year’s finals in Austria and Switzerland will begin to take form after this weekend and next Wednesday’s qualifiers.
In Group D, Germany could become the first country to book their berth along with their neighbouring hosts if they take a point against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
As the Germans dominate their group the World Cup finalists are having a harder time with the battle fiercest in Group B - dubbed the group of death — with Scotland, Italy and France chasing the two qualifying spots.
Leaders Scotland, who shocked France 1-0 in Paris last month, need to win against the Ukraine at Hampden Park to keep their campaign on track, before they travel to Georgia on Wednesday.
Maximum points from both ties and draw against Italy on November 21 would ensure Alex McLeish’s side book a spot in their first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup.
The pressure is on Italy and World Cup runners-up France who are second and third respectively, one and two points off the Scots, and need to win all their matches to be sure of qualifying. On paper both should collect maximum points on Saturday.
Italy play just one match, as they host Georgia in Genoa. Raymond Domenech’s side travel to Faroe Islands before welcoming Lithuania on Wednesday, wrapping up their campaign away to Ukraine on November 21.
Steve McClaren’s England have come back from a troubled start to their campaign to put themselves in a strong position to qualify with back-to-back three-goal wins over Israel and major Group E rivals Russia. But they must beat visiting Estonia and avoid defeat in Russia next week.
Pride will be at stake for Denmark who take on Spain in Aarhus. Spain, tied with Sweden atop Group F with 19 points, travel to Denmark in a match which could lead to either side being eliminated.
The Danes will be looking to put some notable defeats to the Spaniards behind them while Luis Aragones’s side can take heart from the fact that they have only lost twice in fifteen meetings with Denmark.
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