Euro 2008 Report Card
March 28, 2007
Germany are on course to qualify in style for next summer's European Championships in Austria and Switzerland. With four wins and a draw in their first five Group D games, Jogi Löw's team sit on top with 13 points at the halfway mark. With six games to go in the qualifiers, Germany would have to suffer a major reverse in fortunes to find themselves out of the tournament before it even begins.
Elsewhere in the qualification groups, things are not going so swimmingly for other nations with high hopes of making it to the championships and mounting a serious challenge for the Euro 2008 title.
GROUP A
Things are evenly poised in Group A with Poland, Finland, Portugal and Serbia all contesting the two qualifying places. Leaders Poland thrashed the minnows of Azerbaijan 5-0 on Saturday and could be in for another hatful against Armenia on Wednesday.
Finland could maintain pressure on the Poles by adding more misery to the Azerbaijanis and Portugal, who romped to a 4-0 win over Belgium at the weekend, could put some distance between themselves and Serbia in fourth by beating the Serbians in Oporto. Given the form of the top three teams and their opposition, the table is unlikely to change after Wednesday's matches.
GROUP B
Fans of the game will probably view Group B's current status with a lot of surprise and maybe a little happiness. Scotland sit atop of a group which includes world champions Italy, World Cup runners-up France and quarter-finalists Ukraine. If the Scots, under new manager Alex McLeish, reach the finals, it will be the first major championship they've been to since the 1996 European Championships in England. Equal on points with Raymond Domenech's Les Bleus, Scotland take on fourth-placed Italy on Wednesday night.
Roberto Donadoni inherited the world champions from predecessor Marcello Lippi but has not been able to instill the same level of performance from the Azzurri. Two wins, a draw and a defeat in their four games leave the Italians needing a win against Scotland to keep pace with the unlikely group leaders. Meanwhile, France take a break from qualification by playing Austria in a friendly after beating Lithuania 1-0 on Saturday.
GROUP C
Turkey's annihilation of Greece in Piraeus at the weekend was a victory in every way. The 4-1 away win took Turkey three points clear of their bitter sporting, historical and geopolitical rival and gave the Turks the spoils in the contest for national pride. Their next opponents, fourth-placed Norway, could improve their group position by two places if reigning Euro champs Greece lose to Malta. Third-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina don't play another qualifier until June when they take on current leaders Turkey at home.
GROUP D
Unbeaten Germany can look down from the top of the group on Wednesday knowing that even if the second-placed Czech Republic beat strugglers Cyprus in Prague, which they should, Jogi Löw's free-scoring team will still be leaders on goal difference with a game in hand on their nearest rivals.
Elsewhere, the Republic of Ireland in third look to get another three points on the board against Slovakia in fourth. The Irish have been disappointing and under-fire coach Steve Staunton will take little solace in a win on Wednesday, even though it would take them up to second if the Czechs inexplicably lose. Ireland will have played two games more than Germany and one more than the Czech Republic, meaning the breathing space afforded them by victory over Slovakia could be short-lived.
GROUP E
Croatia and Russia continue to battle it out for supremacy in Group E with favorites for qualification England languishing in third. Both the top two teams remain unbeaten, with Russia in second after drawing one more game than leaders Croatia. Neither team plays again in Group E until June which gives England a chance to collect some much needed points. A loss against Croatia, and goalless draws with Macedonia and Israel have left Steve McClaren's team floundering in their worst competitive run since 1981 with just one goal in their last five matches.
Even a comprehensive win against bottom team Andorra could see England drop to fourth if Israel win against second-from-bottom Estonia. UEFA's placing system means that teams drawn on points are placed in regard to their results against each other. The draw in Tel-Aviv would be counted in Israel's favor and could spell darker days for England even if they run riot in Barcelona.
GROUP F
There are more surprises in Group F where favorites Spain find themselves stuttering in fourth place, six points behind group leaders Sweden. Luis Aragones' unquestionably talented team are once again under-achieving and despite beating third-placed Denmark 2-1 at the weekend, Spain are already looking like a team which could struggle to qualify.
Northern Ireland, however, a team which at the start of the campaign looked certain to finish way off the qualifying places, inhabit second place ahead of their top two clash with Sweden on Wednesday. A win over Lars Lagerbaek's team will lift them to the summit, albeit having played a game more.
GROUP G
Group leaders Holland look comfortable on eleven points ahead of Wednesday's matches but after playing a game more than both Bulgaria in second and Romania in third, their three point lead over the two eastern European teams could look more fragile after the coming round.
Bulgaria have a break until June, but Romania could move up a place if they beat bottom team Luxembourg as expected. The Dutch entertain the tricky Slovenians at home and will hope to put some daylight between themselves and the hunting pack immediately behind by ending fifth-placed Slovenia hopes of overtaking non-competing Belarus in fourth.