Slow starts

Germany, England face up to poor performances

Germany's Rudi Voller looks on during his team's 1-1 tie vs. Lithuania. Stuart Franklin/Getty images

LONDON (AP) -- Germany's 1-1 tie with Lithuania was the one big shock in the latest round of Euro 2004 qualifying games. Maybe England's failure to score more than two against Liechtenstein was another.

World Cup runner up Germany tossed away an early Carsten Ramelow lead and what could be two vital Group 5 points in Nuremburg. The tie meant that Scotland, now guided by former German national team coach Berti Vogts, went to the top by beating Iceland 2-1 at Hampden Park.

The Scots can open up a three point lead by winning at Lithuania on Wednesday, when Rudi Voeller's Germans don't play, and then comes a Vogts vs. Voeller showdown at Hampden Park June 7.

England gained three expected points by winning 2-0 at Liechtenstein with a well-placed header by Michael Owen and a trademark free kick by David Beckham.

But Sven-Goran Eriksson's beleaguered team failed to entirely subdue a team largely made up of plumbers, bank clerks and even a winemaker and could well have conceded goals in the last 10 minutes.

It doesn't look good for Wednesday's crunch game against Group 7 leader and World Cup semifinalist Turkey.

While defending champion France crushed Malta 6-0 and 2000 runner up Italy scored a convincing 2-0 victory over Finland, England returned home to see all too familiar headlines.

"It's just not good enough, England," said the Mail on Sunday. "Eriksson has troubles ahead," headlined the Sunday Express. "Euro trash," said the Sunday Times.

Eriksson, Beckham and Owen were united in saying that the three points were what really mattered rather than the performance.

"I think we did a good professional job, if you take away the first few minutes and the last 10 minutes, we did what we had to do," the England coach said.

"It will be a completely different game [against Turkey]. It's not 100 percent sure that we'll play like we did [against Liechtenstein] -- hopefully better."

But the papers countered by saying that a repeat showing against the Turks at Sunderland's Stadium of Light on Wednesday will lead to defeat. That would give Turkey a five-point lead and almost certainly leave England's chances dependent on the lottery of the runners up playoffs.

Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane each scored twice as France charged to an easy victory over Malta in Lens and Jacques Santini's men, who have an eight point lead in Group 1, look like the favorites to be the first to make it to next year's finals in Portugal.

Returning to the Italian lineup for the first time in nine months, Francesco Totti set up both goals for Christian Vieri as Italy improved its chances of qualifying.

The result took some of the pressure off veteran coach Giovanni Trapattoni but his team still have five points to make up on surprise leader Wales.

Ryan Giggs had a standout game for the Welsh before 74,000 fans at the Millennium stadium, Cardiff, scoring once and setting up two more for Craig Bellamy (after 13 seconds) and John Hartson.

Gary Speed added the other as Mark Hughes' team made it four wins in four games as it chases its first appearance in the finals since 1976.

Welsh sport is usually dominated by its rugby union team. On Saturday it lost to France in Paris and wound up last in the Six Nations championship while the soccer team tops Group 9.

"Welsh football has had experiences to it's cost in the past when we have not overcome obstacles like this. But this team is made of different stuff now," said former Manchester United and Barcelona striker Hughes.

"It's always in the back of your mind that things can go wrong, they have done too often for Wales in the past. I remember having to come all the way back from Georgia once with my tail between my legs after we'd lost 5-0.

"I know what it feels like so I was always conscious that I didn't want that to happen to this group of players," Hughes said. "There is more to come from us, we can certainly compete at top international level now."

Ruud van Nistelrooy became the third Manchester United player -- as well as Beckham and Giggs -- to score Saturday when he put the Dutch ahead just before half time against the Czechs in Rotterdam.

But Borussia Dortmund's towering striker, Jan Koller, leveled in the 67th minute and the two teams are tied on seven points at the top of Group 3 above Austria who didn't have a game.

Spain was on the brink of going four points clear at the top of Group 6 until Oleksandr Horoshkov volleyed a last minute equalizer for Ukraine in Kiev.

After Andriy Voronin had fired the home team ahead in the 11th minute, three goals came in the last six. Real Madrid star Raul Gonzalez and Joseba Etxeberria put Spain ahead until Horoshkov snatched a tie which means Ukraine remains one point behind.

Ireland's 2-1 victory at Georgia was marred by crowd trouble, with an open penknife hitting Irish winger Kevin Kilbane and a bottle striking a goalpost.

New coach Brian Kerr celebrated Ireland's first points in the championship and Russia's surprise 3-1 loss in Albania has tightened up the positions in Group 10.

Switzerland, which didn't have a game, has seven, Russia six, Albania four and Ireland three.

 

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Stories

Group 9: Vieri leads Italy past Finland 2-0 Group 5: Lithuania shocks Germany with 1-1 draw Group 10: Ireland beats Georgia on late header Group 3: Czechs, Dutch battle to 1-1 draw Group 2: Romanian coach quits after Danish rout Group 7: England stutters to win over Liechtenstein Group 1: Henry inspires France to 6-0 rout of Malta Group 8: Inspired Croatia maul Belgium 4-0 Group 6: Ukraine holds Spain to 2-2 draw Group Four: Hungary, Poland battle to scoreless draw

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