GOAL.com
European World Cup Qualifying Group One Preview
3/26/2005 1:58:00 AM
Group One is finely poised with the top four teams separated by just
one point, although Holland and the Czech Republic have played a game
less than Finland and Romania.
It is tough to predict how the group will finish, although after
Saturday’s matches the situation should be clearer as the top four
are playing each other.
Romania and Holland, the top two teams on ten points, meet in
Bucharest, while the Czech Republic play host to Finland – a match
they’ll be expected to win. On Wednesday they travel to Andorra and
so will be expecting to pick up six valuable points that will put
them in prime position to qualify for Germany 2006.
Marco van Basten’s side will take a giant leap towards qualification
if they leave Romania with all three points, but his young squad
face an experienced Romanian team notoriously hard to beat on their
home turf. In their last trip abroad the Dutch outfit came unstuck
at Macedonia, only drawing 2-2, but they have main striker Ruud van
Nistelrooy back in contention, as is the red-hot Arjen Robben.
The makeweights in the group, Armenia and Andorra, meet in the
remaining fixture on Saturday