Outside90’s David Vutopal looks at the upcoming weekend of international fixtures with part two of our Euro 2016 qualification preview.
GROUP E
So far England have been untouchable in this group, but this is no reliable guide to how good they are or how they will perform in Euro 2016. Unless Switzerland can change that at Wembley next week, it is quite likely they will finish with a perfect record, although the narrowness of wins in Slovenia and Estonia demonstrate that there is no room for complacency.
This leaves Switzerland and Slovenia in second and third, while Estonia and Lithuania are still in contention for a play-off place. Like their Baltic neighbour Latvia, the latter pair has established a reputation for being plucky teams who occasionally cause headaches for the established powers of European football. On Saturday Switzerland host Slovenia, while Estonia host Lithuania in a match where the winner will have a real shot of overhauling Srečko Katanec’s side into the play-off place. The Blueshirts could even be above Slovenia by the time of their next showdown if the results this weekend go favourably.
Switzerland, Estonia and Lithuania still have to play England, and assuming the Three Lions were to win all three, it would make their other games definite six-pointers. There could be a few surprises in store with this group.
GROUP F
It has been a while since Romania were prominent in the European scene. The Golden Age of the 1990s, when they regularly qualified for tournaments and played some exquisite football, masterminded by the genial Gheorghe Hagi, seem like an eternity away. The Tricolori has always managed to produce some neat players, although fewer are now found in the biggest leagues and the domestic competition still contributes a healthy sprinkling of talent to the national squad. The revival of Romania, so far unbeaten and top of Group F, is taking place under Anghel Iordanescu, who returned to the top job last year. They now travel to neighbours Hungary before hosting the troubled (in not just a football sense) Greece, and wins in both games will just about do the job.
Northern Ireland got off to a flyer and are in with their best chance of ending an absence from major tournaments that has lasted nearly three decades. They have lost just once, away to Romania with whom they have also drawn, but an intriguing trip to the Faroe Islands and a pivotal match against Hungary looms. With their remaining games being against Finland and Greece, Northern Ireland can expect to pick up the requisite points to qualify.
READ MORE: Euro 2016 qualification preview – solving the puzzle for 24 teams (part 1)
Also looking to end a 30-year absence from footballs biggest stages is Hungary. So far, they have done well and at one stage were in the ‘best third-place’ position, which might give them automatic qualification. They drew with Romania and have beaten Finland twice, so will feel confident about riding through their remaining games, yet there has been numerous similar ‘false dawns’ in years past for a country whose football decline is universally acknowledged as a real tragedy. One that many hope is now being reversed.
Tragic can best describe the performances of Greece, yet to record a win in the entire qualifying series and have even lost twice to the Faroe Islands. As one of the smaller members of UEFA, the Landsliðið have enjoyed their best-ever campaign with not only these two results, but competitive performances in other games. They will look to add to their points tally and spoil the chances for any of the other top three sides. The Faroe Islands are not mathematically out of it, but neither are Greece.
GROUP G
A one-time force in European football, Austria last qualified for the World Cup in 1998 and co-hosted the European Championships with Switzerland in 2008. These years of mediocrity at club and international level must have taken its toll and left fans despairing. However, the last few years has brought about the promise of youth and a revival in Austria’s fortunes that sees them undefeated and within sight of qualification. Next week they travel to Sweden, who like Austria, are so far yet to lose and looking secure in second place. Logic dictates this to be a draw, but a win for Das Team would seal the deal.
Russia have chronically underperformed given the abundance of talent at their disposal and sit precariously in third place. While this is enough to qualify for the play-offs, it is not enough to satisfy Russian supporters, something Fabio Capello has paid the price for. They are uncomfortably only three points ahead of Montenegro and Liechtenstein, who do battle on Saturday with the opportunity for the winner to catch Russia, who have an away match with Sweden. Even winless Moldova are just six points behind, and a fact like this either makes qualifying more interesting, or brings into question the wisdom of expansion. Russia host Montenegro in their final game of qualifying next month.
GROUP H
So far, neither Croatia nor Italy have put a foot wrong and both remain unbeaten. Yet, Norway are close behind and Bulgaria are still in with a shout. The fact that both Azerbaijan and Malta have been quite competitive is sufficient to give all other teams in their group some anxious moments, waiting for the breakthrough to produce a shock result. Azerbaijan drawing away to Norway demonstrates that they are quite capable of doing so.
There will be numerous decisive clashes in this group, with Norway looking to end Croatia’s unbeaten record and catch them on points. Bulgaria have not lost their last three games (although one of those was a draw with Malta), so will hope this run continues, though it is unlikely that too much will change in the standings.
[interaction id=”55e8676585c614d96165ed96″]
GROUP I
The odd group out, with only five teams instead of six. Portugal, sitting on top so far, were beaten by Albania at home in the opener and now travel to Tirana to play a side that are technically unbeaten, after being awarded a win over Serbia that placed them in contention to qualify for their first-ever major tournament. Currently Albania are level with Hungary in the ‘best third-placed team’ standings.
The result is a three-way tussle between Portugal, Denmark and Albania with the possibility of all teams qualifying, while Serbia were eliminated remarkably quickly. This is not to say that the Eagles, or Armenia lack competitive spirit, as results show and that may prove a potential spoiler in such tussles.
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
