Euro 2008 Qualifying: Fortune Favours The Big Boys

After a busy weekend of Euro 2008 qualifiers, a few more teams can start comparing hotel reviews in Austria and Switzerland. And despite several scares along the way, it looks like most of the big boys will make it. It’s always good when the little guys get to a tournament (and I’ve still got fingers crossed for Northern Ireland, especially after David Healy (pictured) set a new record for Euro qualifying goalscoring) but when certain big nations don’t make it, it leaves a big hole in the tournament. Here’s a quick round up of what happened this weekend, and what to look out for when the final stage of the qualification drama plays out on Wednesday.

Group A: Poland are home and dry after they beat Belgium 2-0, Ebbie Smolarek scoring twice. Portugal beat Armenia 1-0, and just need to avoid defeat against Finland on Wednesday to book a ticket. A Finnish victory would put them in second, but then they’d be waiting to see what Serbia do against Poland and Kazakhstan.

Games to watch on Wednesday:
Portugal vs Finland
Serbia vs Poland
Serbia vs Kazakhstan

That last one could be really interesting. Originally scheduled for the Saturday just gone, the game was hit by a bigass snow storm and so postponed until Sunday. Even more snow means the game has been rescheduled for Saturday November 24th, a full three days after all the other teams are done qualifying. Even more interesting, that’s not an international weekend, so players like Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic could face an interesting club vs country dilemma if other results go Serbia’s way and qualification is still an option that Saturday.

Group B: Scotland have given France and Italy a good run for their money in Group B - famously beating France home and away - but even some sympathetic refereeing and the presence of Rod Stewart in a tartan cap couldn’t prevent Christian Panucci’s 91st minute header giving Italy a 2-1 win at Hampden Park. That result also sends France through (Ray Ray Domenech having discovered the secret to good luck lies in not accepting whiskey from Scottish journalists) so last year’s World Cup finalists will both be back in competition next summer. but Wednesday’s games will determine who gets the gold and silver medals in Group B. With France trailing Italy by a point, and Italy facing the not so mighty Faroe Islands it looks like the final positions in Group B will mirror the 2006 World Cup final (except Scotland didn’t finish third in that tournament.)

Games to watch:
Ukraine vs France
Italy vs Faroe Islands

Group C: Greece are proving that their Euro 2004 win wasn’t the massive fluke many thought it was at the time, leading Group C by a full seven points. They sealed qualification to defend their trophy by beating Malta 5-0 with a Fanis Gekas hat-trick. The real drama was in Oslo. Norway needed a home win over Turkey to ensure qualification, and were on their way when Erik Hagen scored a nice overhead kick. But two great striker from Emre and then Nihat gave Turkey a 2-1 win. The Turks now need a win at home to Bosnia to go through. If Turkey fail to get three points then victory away to Malta will be enough for Norway. If Turkey lose and Norway draw it’s still Turkey.

Games to watch on Wednesday:
Turkey vs Bosnia-Herzegovina
Malta vs Norway

Group D: Czech Republic and Germany are through after neither Wales nor Ireland could mount a half decent qualification campaign. The Czechs and Germans are currently level on 26 points (Czechs lead the way due to superior kopf to kopf record) with one game each to go, so what happens Wednesday decides who finished one and two.

Games to watch on Wednesday:
Cyprus vs Czech Republic
Germany vs Wales

Group E: Croatia are through, and celebrated that fact by losing 2-0 away to FYR Macedonia, their first defeat of the campaign. England had looked in all sorts of trouble after losing 2-1 away to Russia last month and needed results to go their way. Which is exactly what happened. Israel claimed a late 2-1 win at home to Russia, Omer Golan guaranteeing he’ll never be short of a free beer should he pay a visit to England by scoring the matchwinner. England now just need to avoid defeat at home to Croatia on Wednesday and they’re on the plane. Russia need to (and almost 100% definitely will) beat Andorra away and hope Croatia care enough to beat England at New(ish) Wembley.

Game to watch on Wednesday:
England vs Croatia

Group F: Spain made a rocky start to their campaign, but righted the ship and sailed into clear qualification waters on Saturday by beating Sweden 3-0, which means Luis Aragones and his special brand of race relations will be present (if not correct) next summer. Northern Ireland kept their hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Denmark, David Healy notching his 13th of the campaign, beating Davor Suker’s record of 12 goals in qualification for Euro ‘96. Northern Ireland trail Sweden by 3 points with one game to go. They travel to Spain on Wednesday and need to claim an away win, while hoping that Sweden lose to Latvia. Sweden just need to avoid defeat at home to make things certain.

Games to watch on Wednesday:
Spain vs Northern Ireland
Sweden vs Latvia

Group G: Stick a fork in Group G, it’s done. Romania had already secured their spot, while Holland booked theirs with a (worryingly narrow) 1-0 win over little Luxembourg this weekend. Again, Wednesday’s game will decide first and second place. The two qualifiers are currently level on 26 points, with Romania leading thanks to their better head to head record and unlikely to slip up at home to Albania.

Games to watch on Wednesday (even though it’s basically over):
Romania vs Albania
Belarus vs Netherlands

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