Date:03/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/03/stories/2007120356862000.htm

Sport - Football

Italy gets France in Euro draw

LUCERNE (Switzerland): World Cup champion Italy was drawn on Sunday with France, the Netherlands and Romania in what appears to be the most difficult group for the 2008 European Championship football.

Italy defeated France on penalty kicks in last year’s World Cup final, then played the French twice in European Championship qualifying, losing 3-1 at Saint-Denis and drawing 0-0 in Milan.

Group ‘C’ will be based in Switzerland, and Italy and France will meet in their final first-round match on June 17, 2008, in Zurich.

Meanwhile, defending champion Greece was drawn into Group ‘D’ with Russia, Spain and Sweden, a group based in Austria.

Co-host Switzerland is in Group ‘A’ with Turkey, Portugal and the Czech Republic. Austria, the other co-host and making its debut, is in Group ‘B’ with three-time champion Germany, Poland and Croatia. — AP