Euro qualifiers resume

PARIS – It’s make-up time for two of Europe’s big guns as the latest round of Euro 2008 qualifiers get underway today.

England and France have it all to do to erase the memory of severely disappointing results on Saturday. Having limped to a feeble 0-0 draw at home to the anything-but mighty Macedonia, England travel to Croatia for a considerably more testing examination of their stature.Despite a seemingly new positive approach under Steve McClaren, on Saturday in Manchester England revoked memories of their dire negative World Cup approach under Swedish coach Sven Goran Eriksson.And with influential midfielder Steven Gerrard suspended and both Owen Hargreaves and Joe Cole injured, England will be without three of their four first choice midfielders.It is not only England who have come under fire from their own media, though.World Cup finalists France have been castigated for their failure to deal with set-pieces after falling to a sorry 1-0 reverse at plucky Scotland on Saturday.The goal France conceded in the World Cup final against Italy was from a corner and again against Scotland the defence went missing from another such dead ball situation as Gary Caldwell prodded the ball home.France take on the Faroe Islands in Sochaux.In other matches, Germany can somewhat fortunately call on the World Cup’s young player of the tournament for their tough trip to Bratislava to face Slovakia.Lucas Podolski was sent off in a friendly win over Georgia on Saturday but his two-game suspension only has to be served in friendly matches.In other crucial encounters Russia are looking for their first win of the qualifiers as they entertain Estonia and the Netherlands will be trying to put their recent boycott troubles behind them as they host Albania.Italy travel to Georgia hoping to continue the improvement they showed against Ukraine, although after taking just one point from their opening two games before Saturday’s victory, only a win will do to keep them in the hunt at the top of their group.Nampa-AFPHaving limped to a feeble 0-0 draw at home to the anything-but mighty Macedonia, England travel to Croatia for a considerably more testing examination of their stature.Despite a seemingly new positive approach under Steve McClaren, on Saturday in Manchester England revoked memories of their dire negative World Cup approach under Swedish coach Sven Goran Eriksson.And with influential midfielder Steven Gerrard suspended and both Owen Hargreaves and Joe Cole injured, England will be without three of their four first choice midfielders.It is not only England who have come under fire from their own media, though.World Cup finalists France have been castigated for their failure to deal with set-pieces after falling to a sorry 1-0 reverse at plucky Scotland on Saturday.The goal France conceded in the World Cup final against Italy was from a corner and again against Scotland the defence went missing from another such dead ball situation as Gary Caldwell prodded the ball home.France take on the Faroe Islands in Sochaux.In other matches, Germany can somewhat fortunately call on the World Cup’s young player of the tournament for their tough trip to Bratislava to face Slovakia.Lucas Podolski was sent off in a friendly win over Georgia on Saturday but his two-game suspension only has to be served in friendly matches.In other crucial encounters Russia are looking for their first win of the qualifiers as they entertain Estonia and the Netherlands will be trying to put their recent boycott troubles behind them as they host Albania.Italy travel to Georgia hoping to continue the improvement they showed against Ukraine, although after taking just one point from their opening two games before Saturday’s victory, only a win will do to keep them in the hunt at the top of their group.Nampa-AFP