Euro 2008 qualifiers update

Champions League / Editor / 28 May 2007 / Leave a Comment

The June fixtures mark the halfway stage for the 50 teams battling to reach the 13th European Championships. Some big names are in danger of missing the trip to Austria and Switzerland next summer - France, Italy, England and Spain are currently outside of the qualification places in their respective groups.

Portugal, runners-up as hosts last time around, have not had an easy time in Group A. They have lost in Poland and drawn in Finland and Serbia and Montenegro, leaving them five points adrift of first placed Poland, although they do have a game in hand.

They travel to Belgium on Saturday (June 2) and Felipe Scolari's men will have to improve their suspect away form to remain favourites to win the group. They trade at 1.85 in that market and will be buoyed by their 4-0 win over the Belgians at the end of March, although they will be missing key men Ricardo Carvalho, Simao, Nuno Gomes and Cristiano Ronaldo for the return fixture.

Poland travel eastwards for away assignments in Azerbaijan and Armenia and six points would surely leave them with one foot in the finals. They are available at 1.54 to qualify and will have an interest in the Saturday clash between Finland and Serbia, who like Portugal, both have 11 points.

Group B is intriguingly poised. Despite triumphing in the must-win clash with Scotland last month, Italy remain in fourth place in what is rapidly becoming the 'group of death'. They should get back on track with full points from visits to the Faroe Islands and Lithuania, although they were held by the latter in September's first meeting between the two.

The World Cup winners are available at 1.29 to qualify, although they will not be happy until they have come through tests in Ukraine and Scotland. Those trips are just as crucial as the mouth-watering showdown with France in September. They trade as 8.8 second favourites to claim the European crown next June.

France have the tougher proposition of the group's two big guns - they host Ukraine on Saturday. A win for Les Bleus would see them claim top spot, where punters expect them to be at the end of qualifying - they are available at 1.82 to win the group.

Raymond Domenech will be without Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Willy Sagnol and Louis Saha for the Ukraine and Georgia double-header. Ukraine will be desperate to qualify after being recently given the 2012 tournament joint host duties with Poland, and they can be backed at 2.6 to do so.

Greece appeared to receive one of the easier draws in their bid to retain the trophy. Group C is actually led by Turkey, but these two look set to qualify with ease, especially if Turkey overcome third placed Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday.

Greece are one point adrift in second but will hope to increase their six point advantage over Bosnia with home wins against Hungary and Moldova. They trade at 3.6 to win the group but might need to win in Turkey to do so - a priority for their fans after their side was humbled 4-1 at home by their fiercest rivals.

Germany are the most successful team in the history of the tournament and they are the current favourites to win their fourth title, trading at 7.4. Joachim Low's outfit have gradually taken charge of Group D, impressing with four wins and a draw and a positive goal difference of 18.

They are level on points with the Czech Republic and the Republic of Ireland but have games in hand. The maintenance of a 100% record against San Marino and Slovakia would see them edge further into odds-on territory in the group winner's market, in which they currently trade at 1.29. Germany scored 17 goals in winning their away fixtures against those two.

There is only one other game in Group D next week, which sees Wales host the Czech Republic. John Toshack's men are out of the qualification picture but can do Ireland a favour by upsetting Karel Brückner's men, who have shortened to 1.15 in the qualification market. Ireland are back in action in September with a crucial trip to Slovakia and trade at 8 to reach their second finals.

Group E is another with three qualifying contenders on level points. Israel, Russia and England trail Croatia by two points, but the table looks like developing more next week, as all apart from England play twice. The leaders host Russia in the key game. Punters have Israel as the outsiders of the four, trading at 7.4 to qualify.

England travel to Estonia in what has become a must-win game, not only in the context of qualification, but also for Steve McClaren's future. The manager has received increasing criticism for the faltering campaign - one win and three goals from the last four, all against Andorra - and he has recalled David Beckham in a bid to salvage the qualification bid and his own reputation.

Aaron Lennon has pulled out of the squad with injury, meaning the former captain is almost certain to fill the right sided berth against Brazil ahead of the trip to Tallinn. Despite the battle they face in qualifying, England are available at 10 to lift the trophy, the same odds currently on offer for France.

Another traditional under-achiever facing a fight for qualification is Spain. They were struggling in Group F after suffering defeats in Northern Ireland and Sweden, but recovered with nervy home wins over Denmark and Iceland. They nonetheless cannot afford to slip-up in next week's visits to Latvia and Liechtenstein. Luis Aragones' men trade at 2.94 to win the group and at 1.22 to qualify.

Spain and Sweden have a game in hand on current leaders Northern Ireland, who have been destabilised by the resignation of Lawrie Sanchez in the midst of a stirring qualification campaign. They do not play next week but will be hoping Denmark beat second placed Sweden on Saturday.

Group H is closer to being resolved. The Netherlands have a three point advantage over Romania, who trade at 1.37 to qualify and can increase the two point gap they hold over neighbours Bulgaria in a double-header against Slovenia. Bulgaria, on offer at 2.56 to advance, face Belarus twice.