England braced for ‘Auld Enemy’
ENGLAND will look to close in on a place at the 2018 World Cup when they face “Auld Enemy” Scotland in qualifying this weekend, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal are in action before heading to the Confederations Cup.
Here we look at the key games and the state of play in European qualifying ahead of matches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
England’s progress towards the finals in Russia has so far been fairly smooth, leaving aside the Sam Allardyce saga last autumn. Gareth Southgate is still unbeaten in competitive action since taking charge and his side top Group F with 13 points halfway through the campaign having not conceded a single goal.
They are four points clear of Slovakia before heading north to take on Scotland on their first visit to Hampden since 1999. England were comfortable 3-0 winners when the teams clashed at Wembley in November.
Wayne Rooney captained England in that game but was left out of the latest squad, leaving the likes of Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford to step up. “I can’t dress it up any other way – other players are in really good form and deserve to keep their place,” said Southgate, justifying his decision to drop the former skipper.
Scotland kept their outside hopes alive by beating Slovenia 1-0 last time and this match (at 11pm on Saturday Cambodian time) is crucial for them. After t he heartache of losing t he Euro 2016 final, it has been f ull steam ahead for Didier Deschamps and France with an exciting young side t hree points clear of Sweden at the top of Group A before going to Stock holm.
“Les Bleus” have won four straight qualifiers since opening the campaign with a 0-0 draw in Belarus, and they warmed up for this game by hammering Paraguay 5-0 in a friendly, Olivier Giroud of Arsenal scoring a hat-trick.
France have a plethora of attacking options and Deschamps could unleash Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe on the Swedes.
“He is a young player but that has not stopped him from showing with his club in Ligue 1 and the Champions League that he can perform and be decisive,” said t he coach of t he 18year-old.
After missing Euro 2016, the Netherlands are now running a real risk of failing to qualify for Russia. Danny Blind was sacked as coach after a 2-0 defeat in Bulgaria in March left the three-time World Cup runners-up fourth in Group A, three points adrift of Sweden in second.
Dick Advocaat has been brought back for a third spell in charge at the age of 69, and his first game at home to Luxembourg in Rotterdam is one in which they will surely not slip up.
“We are in a difficult situation, but still everything is open and possible,” Advocaat, who has Ruud Gullit as his assistant, acknowledged this week.
European champions Portugal are off to Russia next week for the Confederations Cup. But if Fernando Santos’s side want to be back in Russia next year they cannot afford to take their eye off the ball when they first go to Latvia in qualifying today.
Portugal have been giving chase to Switzerland in Group B since losing their first qualifier 2-0 in Basel.
They have won four on the bounce since, but are three points behind the Swiss before the match in Riga. Switzerland will be in action at the same time in the Faroe Islands.
Fresh from his Champions League heroics with Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo joined up with the “Selecao” on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Germany are also off to the Confederations Cup but first the World Cup holders host whipping boys San Marino in Nuremberg.
Germany won 8-0 away in the reverse fixture and are likely to again run up a big score, even with a host of stars rested. Germany are five points clear atop Group C from Northern Ireland, who go to Azerbaijan.
Four points separate the top four teams in Group D before a crunch set of fixtures as leaders Serbia host third-place Wales, who are missing the banned Gareth Bale, and secondplaced Ireland entertain Austria in fourth.
Spain and Italy are neck and neck atop Group G and that situation is likely to continue after Julen Lopetegui’s men travel to Macedonia and the Italians entertain principality side Liechtenstein.
Eden Hazard’s fractured ankle means he misses Group H leaders’ Belgium’s game in Estonia.