European Championship qualifying heads into its latter stages tomorrow with Italy and France among powerhouse teams needing victory to boost their chances.
The former European champions, who contested last year's World Cup final, both trail Scotland in their qualifying group and join the likes of Portugal and England desperate for a win with just three matches remaining.
Italy host Georgia and France travel to the Faeroe Islands in two of tomorrow's 21 matches, with both hoping for a boost in their attempt to be one of two teams to advance from Group B to next year's tournament in Austria and Switzerland.
Scotland have not played at a European Championship since 1996 and were expected to struggle, but have beaten France twice to go a point clear of Italy ahead of their match against visiting Ukraine on tomorrow.
"Every international you are involved in is crucial," Scotland defender David Weir said. "But the significance of the ones coming up can't be underestimated because of our position in the group."
Italy and France could say the same as they seek to avoid the ignominy of a summer of inaction.
Italy coach Roberto Donadoni is trying to guide his side to its fifth straight appearance at the tournament it won as hosts in 1968.
He has omitted strikers Alessandro Del Piero, Filippo Inzaghi and Alberto Gilardino -- all three of whom were part of the squad that won the World Cup last year under former coach Marcello Lippi -- even though the group is so tight that final placings could be decided on goal difference.
"It's difficult to leave anyone at home," Donadoni said. "I always make my decisions on the basis of the game and the conditions of the moment."
But it is in defense where Donadoni could be facing problems. Captain Fabio Cannavaro is suspended, Gianluca Zambrotta and Marco Materazzi are injured, and Giorgio Chiellini missed training on Wednesday because of a thigh problem.
While Scotland and Italy don't play again until next month, when they each play their last two matches, France, like many other teams, are going into the a period of two qualifying matches in five days.
France need to win their three remaining games to be guaranteed qualification, starting against the Faroe Islands tomorrow and Lithuania on Wednesday.
They missed the chance to take control of the group when they lost 1-0 to visiting Scotland and drew 0-0 in Italy.
Scotland now lead the group with 21 points, one more than Italy and two more than France.
Ukraine, who have four games left, have 13 points and an outside chance of advancing.
"We took one point out of a possible six," coach Raymond Domenech said. "If we don't get six against Faroe [Islands] and Lithuania, we're dead."
Portugal have to travel more than 14,000km over the next week to get their campaign back on track. They need six points from trips to Azerbaijan and then Kazakhstan after two home draws left them four points adrift of leaders Poland and in third place in Group A.
Portugal have downed both their opponents 3-0 at home, but have a problem with coach Luiz Felipe Scolari forced to watch tomorrow's match from the stands after UEFA banned him for throwing a punch at a Serbia defender in Portugal's last game.
Poland are trying to advance to their first European Championship, but will be without defender Pawel Golanski and midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski for tomorrow's game against Kazakhstan.
RSS