Euro 2008 Qualifying Group B

[goru]

Anyone else been following this "group of death" ? Looks like an Italy vs Scotland (current leader of the group) knock-out showdown is imminent...

http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=442235

Euro Qualifying Group B: Who Will Survive Group Of Death?

When the Euro 2008 qualifying draw was made in January 2006, Group B was immediately touted as the ‘Group of Death’. This is exactly what it has turned out to be. Carlo Garganese looks ahead to the next round of qualifiers...

Euro Qualifying Group B: Who Will Survive Group Of Death?

The Current Situation

With three matches remaining in the group things are really heating up. It seems likely that Scotland, Italy and France face a straight fight for the two qualification places, however Ukraine cannot be totally discounted just yet.

In the last round of qualifiers in September, Scotland gained maximum points from their two games with a 3-1 win at home to Lithuania and then a shock 1-0 victory over France in Paris.

Italy drew 0-0 in Milan with rivals France, before earning an excellent 2-1 win in the Ukraine four days later. This defeat for Ukraine, coupled with the disappointing draw with Georgia, means that Oleg Blokhin’s men are dangerously close to elimination.

Scotland are top with 21 points from nine games. Italy have 20 points, while France, after just one point from September’s games, are a point further back on 19. Ukraine are hanging on by the skin of their teeth in fourth place with 13 points, although they do have a game in hand.

This Week's Qualifiers And Permutations

Scotland

This Saturday, Ukraine face Scotland at Hampden Park, knowing that anything less than a win will lead to virtual elimination from the race to qualify for Austria and Switzerland. The Tartan Army will be aware that maximum points, both from this game and the match in Georgia on Wednesday evening; will mean a draw against Italy on November 21 will ensure their passage to their first major championships for a decade.

Italy

The Azzurri play just the one game in this round of qualifiers, against Georgia on Saturday. The match in Genoa is a must-win clash for Roberto Donadoni’s men.

Scotland’s shock win in Paris on September 12 was the worst possible outcome for the Azzurri mathematically, as it now means that they may have to win all three of their remaining fixtures, including the showdown in Glasgow, to qualify for Euro 2008.

France

France have two easy-looking games on paper over the coming week. Les Bleus travel to the Faroes Islands on Saturday before hosting Lithuania on Wednesday. Despite currently sitting in third place, Raymond Domenech’s men know that their destiny is still in their own hands.

If France win all three of their remaining group games they will qualify, as at least one of Scotland or Italy will then knock each other out during their clash in November. There are so many permutations in this Group Of Death that you could almost write a book about it.

Ukraine

Ukraine are not completely out of the mix. If they win all four of their remaining fixtures, including the match this Saturday, they will finish on 25 points. If Italy then take points off Scotland next month, this will be enough for the Yellow-Blues to finish above Alex McLeish’s men.

In this scenario it will then come down to a fascinating final-day, where (providing France as expected beat the Faroe Islands and Lithuania), Ukraine will have to win against Les Bleus by a better scoreline than 2-0 in order to finish above them on a better head-to-head record.

Group B is all very complicated and, even as I write, I am assuming that Italy will emerge victorious from both their game with Georgia this Saturday and the contest with the Faroe Islands on November 21. What is certain is that things will be a lot clearer after this next round of Euro 2008 qualifiers.

This week’s Group B fixtures:

Oct 13 Scotland-Ukraine

Oct 13 Italy-Georgia

Oct 13 Faroe Islands-France

Oct 17 Georgia-Scotland

Oct 17 France-Lithuania

Oct 17 Ukraine-Faroe Islands

Group B Table

Pts. P W D L Sc Al
Scotland 21 9 7 0 2 17 7
Italy 20 9 6 2 1 15 7
France 19 9 6 1 2 15 3
Ukraine 13 8 4 1 3 10 9
Lithuania 10 9 3 1 5 7 11
Georgia 7 9 2 1 6 14 15
Faroe 0 9 0 0 9 3 29

Next month’s Group B Fixtures:

Nov 17 Lithuania-Ukraine

Nov 17 Scotland-Italy

Nov 21 Italy-Faroe Islands

Nov 21 Georgia-Lithuania

Nov 21 Ukraine-France

[Sohel]

Allez Les Bleus !!!

[Beamer]

South American WC 2010 qualifiers also start this weeknd! So many games to watch this weekend smack in the middle of Eid. But, no worries, just got a DVR last week !!

[Beamer]

Originally Posted by Sohel NR
Allez Les Bleus !!!

I love em too..

[Nocturnal]

FORZA ITALIA!
SOLO NOI, SOLO NOI, Pirlo CE L'ABBIAMO SOLO NOI!!!

[goru]

Update:

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
Scotland 24 10 8 0 2 20 8 +12
Italy 23 10 7 2 1 17 7 +10
France 22 10 7 1 2 21 3 +18

France has made major GD gains beating Faeroe Islands 6-0. Even if they tie one of their games, they can probably edge past Scotland/Italy.

Scotland vs Italy is most definitely now a must win for either team, unless France screws up big time against Ukraine!

[Xavier]

If Scotland don't win in Georgia today, then a draw could be ok for Italy in Glasgow (as the last match is vs Faroe).

[Xavier]

Georgia-Scotland 2-0
France-Lithuania 2-0

France 25
Scotland 24
Italy 23

Scotland-Italy is the key match... the Scots need a win while Italy would be qualified with a draw, France need a win in Ukraina, unless Scotland lose at home to Italy.

[ialbd]

good luck to Italy, all my support for the Azzurris...

[goru]

The big game is this Saturday! I'm pumped up!

[abdulw11]

In Italy, the number 17 is considered unlucky. Some Alitalia planes have no row 17, some Italian hotels have no room 17 and in Roman numerals XVII is an anagram of VIXI which translates into "I have lived" with the implication "my life is over" or "I am dead".

Italy play Scotland in a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier at Hampden Park on Saturday, 17 November with kick-off at 1700 GMT - for the record, Italy have won four of their 11 matches played on the 17th of a month in the last 30 years.

Source

Interesting...

Hope the Scots qualify.

[abdulw11]

Unlucky Scotland lose 2-1.

Well done Italy.

[Nocturnal]

Originally Posted by abdulw11
Unlucky Scotland lose 2-1.

Well done Italy.

watched the game.......typical Italy won their own way.....scored early.....gave away the lead at the middle......and scored the winner in dying moment! I love it though.
Go Italy

[Hatebreed]

Unlucky for Scots. England got a lifeline from Russia's defeat to Israel. Now they have to draw against Croatia to go through.

[Nocturnal]

Italy 3-0 Faroe Islands - 63min
Ukrain 2-2 France - 63 min
and England 0-2 Croatia - half time ......poor goalkeeping and overall bad play by Eng so far.....if they lose they are OUT!
Russia 1-0 Andorra -half time ........Russia on their way to Euro08

[cricman]

2-2 England Ties it up. Beckham to Crouch ... Amazing cross, Beckham is Clutch player

[Nocturnal]

England 2-3 Croatia
Russia 1-0 Andorra

England out. Scored 2 ecualiser within 15min of sec half thanks to Beckham and then gave away the possession and eventually let them score again......poor tactics and play by England.

[rubel_18]

HAHAHAHAHAHA England cant believe it they are out...lol
They played crap so they didnt deserve to go thru anyway, Credit has to be given to Croatia though they played like they needed to win this match they didnt want to lose or draw!!!!

[Yameen]

really glad england didnt qualify, mainly cos Im scottish born lolz, but england never really deserved to qualify, judging by tactics and bringing in new players(GOALKEEPER), after they levelled 2-2 they seemed to be playing for the draw but failed miserably in the end...

btw is it bye bye mclaren??

[reverse_swing]

This bizarre own goal(11 October 2006 against Croatia) says it all about England's European qualifying campaign.

[Yameen]

its funny how robinson made a fool of himself, there was a Borat ad going on in the background lolz

[AsifTheManRahman]

Oh man, England are out. I've been supporting an average bunch of footballers for a while now. These guys have no hope.

[sandpiper]

England had also failed to qualify for the Euro 1984 and World Cup 1994. So I am not thundered at all. They lost to Russia last month and got a lifeline when Russia surprisingly lost at Israel. But yesterday they performed really bad at Wembly and deserverd to be eliminated.

[AsifTheManRahman]

Yeah, that was awful goalkeeping from Robinson. The truth is the English team is full of a bunch of players of average capability in international standards. When McClaren came in, there was a lot of talk about a new England, and they started off well playing attacking football and winning 4 - 0 against the Greeks. Beckham was dropped (which was a tad harsh - we've seen what he can do in these qualifiers), and people were seeing the rays of hope in the horizon. However, the truth is the Premiere League is hyped by the media and foreign participants. Players like Crouch, Hargreaves, Neville and even Rooney and Owen are average at best - they are by no means world beaters. There's a difference between scoring in the EPL and being able to score in international games.

Well, McClaren's sacked, but I don't see England going much further without individual brilliance. Beckham's got a habit of curving a few in from set pieces and flying in some beauties from the wings, but they'll need more than that. A bunch of average players will never see them beyond the quarter finals of the world cup, or in this case, beyond the Euro qualifiers.

[Rabz]

Ha ha...England out.
Big names bow out.
No more English hooligans on euro 08.