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Tuesday October 17, 2007

Ireland Holds Germans To A Draw At Croker

Ireland's Robbie Keane reacts after missing a goal chance (INPHO)

Still Need A Miracle To Qualify For The European Championships

Ireland 0 Germany 0

Germany secured their place at next summer's Euro 2008 finals, leaving Ireland requiring a mathematical miracle to join them. For only the second time in nine Group D qualifying matches the Germans dropped points, and on any other night the scoreline would have been a respectable one from an Irish point of view. But Ireland came into the game at Croke Park needing a victory, and now they are staring y at the prospect of missing out on playing at a major tournament for the third successive occasion. Ireland now need to win their final two matches against Cyprus on Wednesday and then Wales next month, whilst hoping the Czech Republic lose all three of their remaining matches.

Scotland 3 Ukraine 1

Scotland took another step closer to defying all the odds and booking their place at Euro 2008. Kenny Miller and Lee McCulloch both bagged early goals before Andriy Shevchenko hauled the visitors back into the match and threw the outcome into doubt. It was again left to James McFadden - whose goal sealed a famous victory in France last month - to ensure another crucial victory as Alex McLeish's men edge ever closer to next summer's finals. The 3-1 win also ended Oleg Blokhin's faint hopes of guiding Ukraine to Austria and Switzerland.

England 3 Estonia 0

Shaun Wright-Phillips had already put England in front when Wayne Rooney thumped home Joe Cole's low cross. Taavi Rahn's memorable own goal completed England's haul, and a fifth successive Group E win - all by the same score, to move five points clear of Russia, who have a game in hand. But victory came at a price as Ashley Cole was stretchered off after his left ankle crumpled underneath him at the start of the second half as he tangled with Kaimar Saag.

Cyprus 3 Wales 1

Wales' hopes of a third successive away victory ended in embarrassment as they went down to Cyprus. One goal up at half-time, Wales' hopes were still intact in pursuit of another victory to complete a sequence of away success they had not managed for 26 years. But the advantage they held via James Collins' first international goal was obliterated in a shocking 21-minute second-half spell, during which they conceded three times in this European Championship qualifier. Veteran striker Ioannis Okkas scored twice and substitute Charalambides heading the third.