Euro 2000 Preview

More than a year of qualification games for the European Championship finals next summer in Holland and Belgium end at the weekend.

The group games started a week before the World Cup finals in summer 1998 and now only one round of ties is left to decide the automatic finalists and the eight sides who will go into two leg play-offs in November for the remaining places.

Slovenia and Scotland are already assured of a play-off place but six more teams must be decided with the bulk of matches on Saturday evening. Spain, the Czech Republic, Norway and Sweden have already won their sections and qualified automatically.

Two of the groups have become incredibly close with three teams in each vying for the top two places. World Cup winners France need to win at home to a good Iceland team to deny either Russia or Ukraine from finishing top of Group Four.

The French play in Paris have been told to forget about the celebrations of last summer by coach Roger Lemerre as they face the real prospect of elimination from Europe's elite group of nations. Russia are only a point behind leaders Ukraine and play them in Moscow with the French further point behind. Several combinations of results could see the French wither qualify outright or go into the play-offs as one of the teams most would want to avoid but they have to win first and hope that there is a positive outcome in the Moscow game. A draw for France could sink their chances of even making a play-off and could cost Lemerre his job.

In Group Eight Croatia host Yugoslavia only a few weeks after their tense 0-0 draw in Belgrade and the home team know they have to play for a win unlike in that negative game. They are waiting on fitness tests for inspirational captain Zvonimir Boban who has not fully recovered from a stomach muscle injury and has missed five matches for AC Milan. The tension around this game is growing throughout the former Yugoslavia as our message board can indicate and Croatia are in danger of losing some of the good work they showed at he last World Cup if they cannot get into at least a play-off. It is not a straight fight between these two enemies either. Ireland are capable of getting the result they need in Skopje Macedonia that could see them win the group if the Zagreb game is overtaken by caution and nerves. Yugoslavia are best placed to get into at least the play-offs and Croatia know they must get a win to stay ahead of the Irish if they can.

The 1996 European champions Germany are the first holders to have to go through the qualifying round and when Erich Ribbeck's side lost in Istanbul 1-0 to Turkey a year ago it compounded a poor start to their defence of the title. Now they need only a home draw to take an automatic qualifying place from Group Three at the expense of the Turks who must play for a win in Germany on saturday night if they are to relegate the champions to the play-off section which seems unlikely. The Turkish side though are well capable of providing a real threat to any of the other play-off teams and will be confident they can make the finals no matter what transpires on Saturday.

Israel will hope that Austria can do them a favour and win at home to Cyprus as that would spare the Israelis from having to survive against the red hot Spanish side who have been scoring heavily during the latter part of their campaign. Both matches take place simultaneously on Sunday night and Israel have a slight edge of one point in their attempt to make a play-off place but Cyprus know they will have to play for a win against an Austrian side who have little to play for themselves barring a mathematical shock which could see them make the play-offs ahead of the two teams above them.

Romania need only a win in Liechtenstein to seal a Group Seven victory and send Portugal into the play-offs while Italy need to recover from the loss of three goals at home to Denmark last month to win in Belarus and send the Danish champions of 1992 into the play-offs.

The team who will really suffer on Saturday though are England and they do not even play until a friendly against co-hosts of the finals Belgium on Sunday afternoon. By then they will know if the Swedish side they are relying on to help them into the play offs have managed to beat Poland in Stockholm and breathe some life into Kevin Keegan's squad. Live television and radio coverage of the game in England will be followed closely by the fans but Poland only need to draw to take the play off place from Group Five and England's chances of progress probably disappeared long ago. The Poles know a point is enough and Sweden have nothing to play for pointing to a close game that will see Poland get the point they need. The Poles though lack the fire power to threaten many of the other teams who will also get into the November games.