Date:02/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/02/stories/2003040203101800.htm
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Sport - Football

England takes on Turkey

LONDON April 1 England takes on Turkey in the pick of tomorrow's 17 Euro 2004 qualifiers, with control of Group Seven at stake.

Other intriguing games include France playing Israel in Sicily, the Czech Republic against Austria, and Albania, on a high after beating Russia, at home to Ireland.

Turkey has continued the form that took it to last year's World Cup semi-finals, winning its first three Euro 2004 qualifiers.

England, on the other hand, has been far from impressive. It beat Slovakia in its opening game but was then held to a 2-2 home draw by Macedonia and gave a lacklustre display in beating Liechtenstein 2-0 on Saturday.

Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has promised there will be a different attitude for tomorrow's game at Sunderland, and history is certainly with England, which will go top of the group with a win.

It has played Turkey eight times, all between 1984 and 1993 in World Cup and European championship qualifiers, winning seven, drawing one and scoring 29 goals without conceding.

France has put a poor World Cup well behind it with its flying start to the defence of its European title.

Saturday's sparkling 6-0 thrashing of Malta took it to 12 points — it has scored 17 and conceded just one goal — and it will virtually secure top spot in Group One with a win over Israel, second on four points.

The match is being played in Palermo because of the unstable political situation in the West Asia.

The Czech Republic's incredible run of 15 successive European championship qualifying wins going back to 1995 was ended with a 1-1 draw with The Netherlands on Saturday and the two teams remain locked together on seven points at the top of Group Three. Both are in action again tomorrow.

The Czechs host Austria, still in the hunt in third place on six points, while the Dutch travel to Moldova, who are pointless after three games.

Group Two is similarly poised. Denmark moved top on seven points after its impressive 5-2 win in Romania and it will expect another three points at home to Bosnia.

Norway, also on seven, should match it away to Luxembourg while Romania, third on six points and reeling from the resignation of manager Anghel Iordanescu and captain Gheorghe Popescu in the light of its worst home defeat for 25 years, don't play.

Scotland began its campaign with a 2-2 draw against the Faroe Islands but goes into Wednesday's game in Lithuania top of Group Five on seven points, above Germany on goal difference.

The Scots beat Iceland 2-1 but know they will be in for a tough away test against a Lithuanian side who drew 1-1 with Germany in Nuremberg at the weekend.

Ireland also began badly with two defeats but Albania's stunning 3-1 win over Russia has thrown it a lifeline and opened up Group 10.

Ireland, 2-1 winner in Georgia on Saturday, now faces the Albanians in Tirana. Switzerland, which leads the group on seven points, plays in Georgia.

Croatia had one of the best results of the weekend programme when it thrashed Belgium 4-0 to resurrect a Group Eight campaign that had started with a goalless draw and a defeat.

It should claim another three points at home to Andorra and will hope Estonia can do it a favour at home to Bulgaria, which tops the group on nine points after three wins.

Spain and Ukraine drew 2-2 in Kiev to keep Group Six a likely fight between the pair of them.

Spain, which leads the way with seven points, should move to 10 after a home game against Armenia, while Ukraine, second on six, are not playing.

Poland and Hungary drew 0-0 in Saturday's only goalless draw to leave Latvia as the unlikely leader of Group Four.

Latvia, with seven points don't play tomorrow. Poland, third on four points, should beat San Marino but Hungary, second on five, faces a tough home game against Sweden. — Reuters.

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