Euro 2008 - Czechs in as Scotland stumbles

Scotland may need to beat Italy in their final Euro 2008 qualifier, after France went top of Group B tonight with a Thierry Henry-inspired 2-0 win over Lithuania. Henry set a new national goalscoring record, netting in twice in a minute, with the game heading for a goalless draw.  The result leaves France on 25 points, with Scotland on 24 - and Italy on 23 but with a game in hand over the top two. Ukraine took out the frustration on Faroe Islands, after having their qualification chances ended by Scotland last weekend.  After seeing his side's Group B hopes erased by a 3-1 defeat at Hampden Park on Saturday, Maxym Kalynychenko bagged a hat-trick in this afternoon's 5-0 win in Kiev.  Oleh Gusev completed the rout with two more goals.

In England's group, FYR Macedonia made it 10 straight qualifying defeats for sorry Andorra with a 3-0 win in Skopje - Ilco Naumoski, Goce Sedloski and Goran Pandev with the goals. 

In Group F, Denmark kept their slim qualification hopes alive with a 3-1 win over Latvia.  Jon Dahl Tomasson (with a penalty), Ulrik Laursen and Dennis Rommedahl scored for the home side, with Kaspars Gorkss replying for the visitors.  With Northern Ireland also drawing, one of the sides must win next month's meeting at Windsor Park if either is to have any hope of avoiding elimination.  Elsewhere in the group, Liechtenstein beat Iceland 3-0.

In Group D, Czech Republic recorded a shock 3-0 win in Germany to join their opponents at next summer's finals - ending Republic of Ireland's slim qualification hopes.  Libor Sionko, Marek Matejovsky and Jaroslav Plasil scored the goals in a surprisingly one-sided affair.

European champions Greece will be in Austria and Switzerland to defend their crown, after securing Group C qualification tonight.  Ioannis Amanatidis scored 11 minutes from time to wrap up a 1-0 win away to bitter rivals Turkey to all but guarantee top spot.  Erik Hagen and Bjorn Helge Riise were on target as Norway climbed above Turkey into second place with a 2-0 win in Bosnia-Herzegovina.  Moldova won the battle of the bottom two, beating Malta 3-2 - although they had led 3-0 and had a man sent off late on.

Romania became the first Group G team to reach the finals with a 2-0 win in Luxembourg, Ovidiu Petre and Ciprian Marica with the goals.  Holland are close to joining them after they beat Slovenia 2-0, and Bulgaria could only draw 1-1 in Albania.  Wesley Sneijder and Klaas Jan Huntelaar netted for Holland to put them four point clear of third-placed Bulgaria with two games remaining.  Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov rescued a late draw for the Bulgarians.

In Group A's early kick-off, Cristiano Ronaldo helped Portugal narrowly avoid a damaging draw in Kazakhstan.  The contest was locked at 0-0 until six minutes from time, when Ariza Makukula came off the bench to head the visitors in front.  Ronaldo sealed the win in stoppage time to put Portugal three points clear of third-placed Finland with two games remaining, although Dmitriy Byakov snatched a consolation.

Serbia ensured it would remain a four-way battle for qualification by thrashing Azerbaijan 6-1 in Baku.  Nikola Zigic scored twice - and there were also goals for Bosko Jankovic, Dusko Tosic, and substitutes Milan Jovanovic and Danko Lazovic.  Belgium's 3-0 win over Armenia was in vain as they suffered elimination.