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FIFA World Cup 2006
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/
March 29 2005
Tough missions for European trio
There are awkward-looking away trips for France, Portugal and Spain
on Wednesday when the campaign to book places at the 2006 FIFA World
Cup Germany' continues.
With the exception of Italy and Sweden - who are not scheduled to
play - most of the continent's heavyweights will be contesting their
second match in five days, and they will all be eager to leave a
strong statement of intent before the action resumes again on 4 June.
STANDINGS / MATCHES
In Group 1, the two frontrunners are sure to try and rack up high
scores against teams at the bottom. For the Netherlands (12 goals in
five games), that will mean attempting to add a hefty goal difference
to their one-point lead when they welcome Armenia. Their opponents
have already conceded 13 times, with only four goals scored, but the
home side's task has not been made any easier by an injury to Arjen
Robben. The Czech Republic are still without a key player of their
own in Jan Koller, but Karel Bruckner's side will nonetheless be
confident of finding other routes to goal when they travel to face
Andorra, who succumbed 2-1 against Armenia on Saturday. Meanwhile,
Romania will try to pick themselves back up in FYR Macedonia after a
damaging defeat by the Dutch at the weekend.
Having sat out the last round of matches, Ukraine will need to find
their rhythm quickly against Denmark if they are to secure a better
result than September's 1-1 draw between the two sides. Oleg
Blokhin's side have a three-point lead to defend in Group 2, and will
be expecting closest rivals Greece to keep up the pressure at home to
Albania, following their 3-1 victory over Georgia on Saturday. Also
in action are Turkey - level on nine points with Denmark - who have
not given up hope yet, and can stay within two points of Greece if
they come back from Georgia with the right result.
Slovakia v Portugal under the spotlight
One of the day's most intriguing encounters takes place in Group 3,
where Slovakia (13 points, +13) host co-leaders Portugal (13 pts,
+17) in a contest for supremacy at the top. The visitors will be
bringing the two highest scorers in qualification so far in Pauleta
(six goals) and Cristiano Ronaldo (five goals), but the Slovaks
promise to cause problems of their own if they can set up star
striker Marek Mintal, the leading marksman in the Bundesliga. Three
points behind the top two, Russia know they have to win in Estonia if
they are to stand any chance of staying in the hunt. And, finally,
Latvia will look to improve on what has been a disappointing campaign
when they entertain a Luxembourg team who have leaked 24 goals in six
straight defeats.
The situation remains a lot more complicated in Group 4, where four
sides can still claim the automatic qualifying spot thanks to a
record number of draws (14). Seemingly incapable of winning at the
moment, France must at least make sure they do not lose in Israel,
where the Republic of Ireland were pegged back by a last-gasp
equaliser on Saturday. For their part, Switzerland cannot afford to
drop any points against Cyprus as they aim to keep pace with the
three sides out in front.
With Italy in friendly action, second-placed Norway can bring
themselves to within two points of the Group 5 leaders ahead of the
sides' meeting in Oslo on 4 June. The Norwegians journey to Moldova
to take on the team currently propping up the table with a single
point, and will no doubt also have one eye on the result in Slovenia.
Positioned third on goal difference alone, the Slovenians welcome
Belarus knowing a convincing victory could see them leapfrog Norway
in the standings.
Croatia poised to go top
The fixture list in Group 6 ought to leave the table looking much the
same after Wednesday, as the top three sides meet the bottom three
and England and Poland exchange opponents. Sven-Göran Eriksson
celebrated his 50th match as England coach at the weekend, and he
looks certain to field an attacking formation for the visit of
Azerbaijan, who were breached eight times in Warsaw. Meanwhile, the
high-scoring Poles host a Northern Ireland team still stinging from
their 4-0 loss to Eriksson's men. In the remaining game ,
third-placed Austria will seek to inflict another defeat on Wales
after Saturday's victory in Cardiff.
The evening's other headline match pits Spain away to Group 7
pacesetters Serbia and Montenegro. Luis Aragonés's charges currently
lag two points behind their hosts, and a win would definitely ease
the pressure after the two stalemates they have already conceded on
foreign soil. Defeat would hardly be disastrous, though, with games
at home to Lithuania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Serbians still to
come. Elsewhere, Lithuania will be vying to stay in the reckoning
when they travel to Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Belgium have a good
chance of continuing their recovery away to San Marino.
Finally, with no match planned for Sweden, Croatia ought to take over
at the top of Group 8 with the same number of games played when they
host Malta, while third-placed Bulgaria may not find it easy in
Hungary as they look to bounce back from Saturday's home defeat by
the Swedes.
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/
March 29 2005
Tough missions for European trio
There are awkward-looking away trips for France, Portugal and Spain
on Wednesday when the campaign to book places at the 2006 FIFA World
Cup Germany' continues.
With the exception of Italy and Sweden - who are not scheduled to
play - most of the continent's heavyweights will be contesting their
second match in five days, and they will all be eager to leave a
strong statement of intent before the action resumes again on 4 June.
STANDINGS / MATCHES
In Group 1, the two frontrunners are sure to try and rack up high
scores against teams at the bottom. For the Netherlands (12 goals in
five games), that will mean attempting to add a hefty goal difference
to their one-point lead when they welcome Armenia. Their opponents
have already conceded 13 times, with only four goals scored, but the
home side's task has not been made any easier by an injury to Arjen
Robben. The Czech Republic are still without a key player of their
own in Jan Koller, but Karel Bruckner's side will nonetheless be
confident of finding other routes to goal when they travel to face
Andorra, who succumbed 2-1 against Armenia on Saturday. Meanwhile,
Romania will try to pick themselves back up in FYR Macedonia after a
damaging defeat by the Dutch at the weekend.
Having sat out the last round of matches, Ukraine will need to find
their rhythm quickly against Denmark if they are to secure a better
result than September's 1-1 draw between the two sides. Oleg
Blokhin's side have a three-point lead to defend in Group 2, and will
be expecting closest rivals Greece to keep up the pressure at home to
Albania, following their 3-1 victory over Georgia on Saturday. Also
in action are Turkey - level on nine points with Denmark - who have
not given up hope yet, and can stay within two points of Greece if
they come back from Georgia with the right result.
Slovakia v Portugal under the spotlight
One of the day's most intriguing encounters takes place in Group 3,
where Slovakia (13 points, +13) host co-leaders Portugal (13 pts,
+17) in a contest for supremacy at the top. The visitors will be
bringing the two highest scorers in qualification so far in Pauleta
(six goals) and Cristiano Ronaldo (five goals), but the Slovaks
promise to cause problems of their own if they can set up star
striker Marek Mintal, the leading marksman in the Bundesliga. Three
points behind the top two, Russia know they have to win in Estonia if
they are to stand any chance of staying in the hunt. And, finally,
Latvia will look to improve on what has been a disappointing campaign
when they entertain a Luxembourg team who have leaked 24 goals in six
straight defeats.
The situation remains a lot more complicated in Group 4, where four
sides can still claim the automatic qualifying spot thanks to a
record number of draws (14). Seemingly incapable of winning at the
moment, France must at least make sure they do not lose in Israel,
where the Republic of Ireland were pegged back by a last-gasp
equaliser on Saturday. For their part, Switzerland cannot afford to
drop any points against Cyprus as they aim to keep pace with the
three sides out in front.
With Italy in friendly action, second-placed Norway can bring
themselves to within two points of the Group 5 leaders ahead of the
sides' meeting in Oslo on 4 June. The Norwegians journey to Moldova
to take on the team currently propping up the table with a single
point, and will no doubt also have one eye on the result in Slovenia.
Positioned third on goal difference alone, the Slovenians welcome
Belarus knowing a convincing victory could see them leapfrog Norway
in the standings.
Croatia poised to go top
The fixture list in Group 6 ought to leave the table looking much the
same after Wednesday, as the top three sides meet the bottom three
and England and Poland exchange opponents. Sven-Göran Eriksson
celebrated his 50th match as England coach at the weekend, and he
looks certain to field an attacking formation for the visit of
Azerbaijan, who were breached eight times in Warsaw. Meanwhile, the
high-scoring Poles host a Northern Ireland team still stinging from
their 4-0 loss to Eriksson's men. In the remaining game ,
third-placed Austria will seek to inflict another defeat on Wales
after Saturday's victory in Cardiff.
The evening's other headline match pits Spain away to Group 7
pacesetters Serbia and Montenegro. Luis Aragonés's charges currently
lag two points behind their hosts, and a win would definitely ease
the pressure after the two stalemates they have already conceded on
foreign soil. Defeat would hardly be disastrous, though, with games
at home to Lithuania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Serbians still to
come. Elsewhere, Lithuania will be vying to stay in the reckoning
when they travel to Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Belgium have a good
chance of continuing their recovery away to San Marino.
Finally, with no match planned for Sweden, Croatia ought to take over
at the top of Group 8 with the same number of games played when they
host Malta, while third-placed Bulgaria may not find it easy in
Hungary as they look to bounce back from Saturday's home defeat by
the Swedes.