ENGLAND WIN IN VIENNA, SCOTLAND CHANCE BLOWN

 

 

 

In theory, a game against Austria should be a straightforward win for us. The last time we faced them was in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, and we beat them 1-0 at Old Trafford in that campaign. Beating them on their turf has proved to be another matter entirely though. The 2006 World Cup qualifying match at the Ernst Happel Stadion finished 2-2 and for the last time we won in Austria, you have to go back to when we were the world champions! Alan Ball hit the winner at the Ernst Happel, the year was 1967!

Fast forward to 2007 and for some reason or another we had a friendly set up at the Ernst Happel Stadium which the Austrians probably needed more than we did. The joint-Euro 2008 hosts weren't in the most cvonfident of moods coming into the match but the Three Lions just needed gametime together. And a chance to try things out. Like Scott Carson in goal, Campbell and Lescott in central defence with Rio and Terry injured, Bridge at left back, Becks returning at right mid, Gerrard and Lampard centre mid(with Steve as captain) and Owen and Crouch up front with Rooney injured.

Well the first half didn't have the best football of all time, if the Austrian fans are thinking that their team wouldn't qualify for Euro 2008 by right then we were certainly playing down to their level rather them playing up to ours. Still we did have some solid attacks, could have got a penalty, picked up an injury and were still the better of the two sides. And in the 41st minute a Becks corner found Crouch's head and England took the lead. So far so good.

More subs were made at halftime, more combinations tried. England had the better attacking spells of the two sides which gave ex-Arsenal goalie Alex Manninger, now playing for Serie A side Siena, enough to do. Austria had the odd attack, more subs made by both sides and they players appeared to be cruising their way through the game. England had enough chances to get a second goal, they didn't get one, they didn't need one. Arguably they didn't need this match. We still won it though.

In the meantime, for Euro 2008 qualifying Group E, the show went on without England. The crucial match of the group was Israel beating Russia 2-1 in the Ramat Gam. Given a free shot at sitting ducks England, Guus Hiddink's Russia messed up completely and it couldn't have happened to a nicer manager! Macedonia also managed to beat Croatia 2-0 in the City Stadium. That leaves England still in second place in the group despite everything, two points ahead of third placed Russia though three points behind group leaders Croatia.

Scotland vs Italy looks like an obvious mismatch. The last time the two sides met was in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers. Italy beat Scotland 2-0 at the San Siro but Scotland played their A game to draw 1-1 with the Azzuri at Hampden Park. However beating the Italians is another matter entirely and the last time the Scots did that it has gone into legend. The 1966 World Cup qualifiers. Hampden Park. John Greig, mate of Fergie's hit the winner.

For now though, Scotland didn't quite need another Greig but they did need to pull out all the stops one last time. It had been a miraculous Euro 2008 qualifying Group B campaign already, but Italy had already beaten the Scots 2-0 at San Nicola. This was Alex McLeish's crew's last game though. They needed a draw to stay in the competition and a win to qualify. 4-5-1. Craig Gordon in goal. Alan Hutton, Stephen McManus, Gary Naysmith and David Weir in defence. Scott Brown, Barry Ferguson, Darren Fletcher, Paul Hartley and Lee McCulloch in central midfield, Jame McFadden up front.

The Scottish optimism was short lived. The home side got caught on the hop with a second minute Italian throw in and Antonio de Natale set up strike partner Luca Toni who slotted it in from close range. Scotland pretty much fell to pieces after that and let the Italians run at them for a bit but eventually the got on the attack, might haven gotten a penalty and started to take over. The Azzuri dodged all the bullets fired at them before half time though.

The Italians got a free kick first thing in the second half but the Scots managed to deal with it. Their problem was that they still only had one up front and Italy aren't the easiest team to turn a game around against. Scotland still nibbled though and in the 65th minute got a lifeline, a McCulloch shot rebounding to Ferguson who had no trouble sending Scotland fans insane. Finally it was two up front and it was Italy that had to hold on tight. The Scots certainly had the chances but blew the most blatent one completely! Still, at least they were still in the mixer...untill Christian Panucci heading in a cross from a dodgy Italian freekick in injury time!

Elsewhere, Lithuania faced the Ukraine in the Darius and Girenas Stadium. Both sides were only playing for pride as they were already out of the race for qualification but goals from Mantas Savenas and Tomas Danilevicius gave Lithuania a surprise win in their last home game of the campaign. That left Scotland in third place in the group though, one point behind second placed France and with no games left to play. They're still eight points ahead of fourth placed Ukraine though so have garunteed third place.

In Group D, Wales faced the Republic of Ireland at the Millenium Stadium. Jason Koumas opened the scoring for Wales only for Robbie Keane to quickly equalise for ROI. Kevin Doyle appeared to complete the turnaround for the Irishmen but then Koumas got a late(apparantly dodgy) penalty and it was honours even. That leaves ROI in third place, nine points behind second place Germany with Wales three points further behind in fourth. Neither side can qualify.

In Group F, Northern Ireland faced Denmark at Windsor Park. Denmark had the first serious attack of the game but they were matched by the home side but the net never looked like bulging before half time. Niklas Bendtner opened the scoring early on in the second half though but NI still managed to turn the game and their qualifying campaign round. Warren Feeney equalised and David Healy hit the winner! That leaves NI in third place in the group with one game to go but only three points behind second place Sweden. They are still in the mixer!

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