End in sight for marathon global qualifying

European champions Greece, Euro 2004 semi-finalists Czech Republic and even 1998 world champions France could fail to qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals today.

Others such as perennial tournament under-achievers Spain, 1992 European champions Denmark, Turkey, Russia, Romania, Ireland and twice world champions Uruguay are also yet to secure their places among the final 32 qualifiers for next year's extravaganza in Germany.

However, they will all be hoping to have done enough in their final regular qualifying games today to have either gone through automatically or else at least secured a place in November's play-offs.

The marathon qualifying competition comes to an end in Europe, South America, CONCACAF and Asia with the last three automatic European finals places to be decided. The 10 teams going into November's five play-offs will also be determined.

Seven European teams have already qualified to join hosts Germany in the finals: the Netherlands (Group One), Ukraine (Group Two), Portugal (Group Three), Italy (Group Five), Poland and England (Group Six) and Croatia (Group Eight) while Norway (Group Five) have a guaranteed play-off place.

With England or Poland taking one of the best runners-up places, the other team likely to qualify from that route, barring freak results will come from Group Eight - either Sweden or Croatia.

If matches go to form, the Czech Republic should reach the play-offs by beating Finland away, even with their injury worries, while France should beat Cyprus in Paris, though that might be enough only for the play-offs.

The permutations in Group Four mean that France, Switzerland and Ireland can all still win the group or finish second while Israel, who have completed their fixtures, remain in the hunt for the runners-up spot.

The situation is only a little clearer in Group Seven with Serbia & Montenegro going into their final game at home to Bosnia with a two-point lead over Spain, who will expect to beat San Marino.

The Serbs will top the group with a win but if they draw Spain can overhaul them by winning by five, or possibly even four goals in San Marino.

Bosnia would reach the play-offs if they and Spain both win and could even win the group if they won and Spain somehow contrived to lose.

Romania hope

Slovakia and Russia, both on 22 points in Group Three, meet in Bratislava with Slovakia needing just a draw to seal second place.

Romania, who have finished their Group One games, need the Czechs to fail in Finland while Turkey, Denmark and Greece are all still battling to finish second in Group Two.

Turkey face a tough game in Albania while Denmark should beat Kazakhstan, leaving the European champions Greece probably out of it even if they beat Georgia at home.

Greece would become only the third European champions failing to qualify for the World Cup finals after the 1976 champions Czechoslovakia missed out on a place in Argentina and 1992 champions Denmark missed out on USA '94.

The only issue still to resolve in South America is the three-way fight for fifth place between Uru-guay, Colombia and Chile for the right to face Australia in the two-legged play-off for a place in the finals.

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Ecuador have all qualified from the group. Uruguay play old rivals and neighbours Argentina in Montevideo late tonight while Colombia are away to Paraguay and Chile are at home to Ecuador.

If Uruguay beat Argentina for the first time in 16 years, they will finish fifth, while both Chile and Colombia will be going all out for victories, hoping Uruguay slip up.

Trinidad & Tobago (10) and Guatemala (8) both face make-or-break matches in the final CONCACAF round of games with fourth place and a play-off place at stake in their group.

Trinidad are at home to Mexico, who have already qualified, while Guatemala play already-qualified Costa Rica at home.

Whoever finishes fourth will meet the eventual winner of the Asian play-off, either Bahrain or Uzbekistan in their final decider for a place in the finals. The Asians are balanced at 1-1 going into the second leg of their duel in Bahrain today.

Neither Trinidad, Guatemala, Bahrain or Uzbekistan have been in the finals before.

¤ The draw for the European playoffs takes place in Zurich on Friday.

All five play-offs will be played on November 12 and November 16 with the draw for the finals in Leipzig, Germany, on December 9.