Heavyweight duels wait as stakes arise in Europe

• Spain-Italy and France-Netherlands among a standout matches
• Germany, Poland and Belgium demeanour to tie reason on 2018 berths
• Denmark and Scotland among struggling sides confronting must-win matches

With reduction than 10 months to go until Russia 2018 gets underway, all is still to play for in Europe as a conflict for FIFA World Cupâ„¢ places intensifies.

Poland, Germany and Belgium – six, 5 and 4 points transparent in Groups E, C and H respectively – reason a many autocratic leads during this stage, and all 3 will be aiming to waken their positions over a entrance days.

Most of a aged continent’s sections sojourn simply too tighten to call, though, and in 4 – those involving Sweden and France, Spain and Italy, Serbia and Republic of Ireland, and Croatia and Iceland – a tip dual are sealed together on matching points tallies.

That conditions adds serve amour to a arriving action, with Gli Azzurri’s outing to Madrid on Saturday, France-Netherlands and Turkey-Croatia among a fixtures whetting supporters’ appetites.

Group A: As it stands
After a overwhelming 2-1 better in Solna that saw them obey stick position to their Swedish hosts, France are behind on home dirt with a Saint Denis-Toulouse double-header opposite a Netherlands and Luxembourg. Sweden, for their part, will do good to emerge protection from a integrate of wily tests on a road, initial in Bulgaria and afterwards in Belarus. It’s also value remembering that a Netherlands, for all their early travails, sojourn usually 3 points behind a streamer duo.

C’est parti flow ce rassemblement!
2 gros matchs au programme flow la qualif’ à la #CDM2018

@NzoGraphic pic.twitter.com/oA8BCRFXpf

— Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) 28 Aug 2017

Group B: As it stands
A two-horse competition has grown in this section, with 8 points now separating second-place Portugal from Hungary in third. Switzerland, a usually side besides Germany nonetheless to dump a point, continue to lead and will be carefree of progressing their three-point advantage by saying off Andorra (home) and Latvia (away). Portugal, though, have a good possibility of staying within touching stretch if Cristiano Ronaldo – with 11 goals in subordinate so distant – maintains his implausible rate of scoring once each 41 mins on a highway to Russia.

Group C: As it stands
With 6 true wins, 27 goals scored and usually one conceded, Germany have looked all nonetheless unstoppable in subordinate so far. The universe champions can, though, design a unrelenting hearing in a tough arriving double-header that sees them transport to Prague to face Czech Republic before welcoming Norway to Stuttgart. It’s break time for a Czechs, meanwhile. After confronting a Germans, they will conduct to Belfast to take on second-placed Northern Ireland, with feat all nonetheless essential.

Joachim #Löw names 17 #ConfedCup winners in a #DieMannschaft patrol for a arriving #WCQ! #CZEGER #GERNOR pic.twitter.com/og6RmhxHlF

— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) 25 Aug 2017

Group D: As it stands

All eyes will be on Dublin in this territory as a tip two, Serbia and Republic of Ireland, go head-to-head on Tuesday. The Irish have faltered rather after an superb start, picking adult usually dual points from a probable 6 in their many new fixtures – both during home – and face a tough outing to Georgia before holding on a Serbians. Their visitors now lead on idea disproportion and will design to take limit points during home to Moldova before streamer to a Irish capital. Wales and Austria – 4 points adrift of a streamer twin – face off in Cardiff on Saturday, with usually a victors expected to sojourn in contention.

Group E: As it stands
Poland and 11-goal Robert Lewandowski have valid unbeatable so far, nonetheless face arguably their toughest exam nonetheless on Friday opposite a rejuvenated Denmark in Copenhagen. The Danes, in truth, are focused some-more on pipping Montenegro to second place – with both now tied on 10 points – than throwing a Poles. Age Hareide’s side will be looking to hindrance a leaders, win in Armenia and wish that a Montenegrins trip adult opposite Kazakhstan (away) or Romania (home).

Make that…
1⃣1⃣ – @Lewy_Official
1⃣1⃣ – @Cristiano
Another hat-trick from Poland’s captain and whitchcraft #WCQ pic.twitter.com/vJz6uHE4mZ

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) 10 Jun 2017

Group F: As it stands
Slovakia sojourn England’s closest challengers in this section, nonetheless their certification will be tested by a double-header that sees them acquire third-placed Slovenia before streamer to Wembley. Any slip-ups could open a doorway for a Slovenians, or for Scotland, who nonetheless know that anything reduction than 6 points opposite Lithuania and Malta will entrust their debate to failure.

Group G: As it stands
With Albania and Israel 7 points adrift, it’s all about Spain and Italy in this section, with Saturday’s Bernabeu showdown arguably a many expected 2018 qualifier so far. It was unfit to apart these former universe champions when they drew 1-1 in Turin final October, and a win for possibly in Madrid – with La Roja currently streamer usually on idea disproportion – would certainly infer decisive.

| #Ventura fires his group adult for #SpainItaly!

| Saturday 2nd Sep
⏰ | 20:45 CEST pic.twitter.com/Ez5qePVT4U

— Italy (@azzurri) 28 Aug 2017

Group H: As it stands
Having put a initial hole in Belgium’s bid with a 1-1 divided pull in March, Greece take on a leaders in Piraeus on Sunday aiming to cut a lead that now stands during 4 points. Bosnia and Herzegovina, a indicate serve back, sojourn in a hunt too and will design to boost their chances of a top-two finish with victories on a highway opposite Cyprus and Gibraltar.

Group I: As it stands

After Iceland’s thespian win over Croatia in Jun left a span turn on points during a section’s summit, a joint-leaders contingency now concentration on holding off those subsequent them. Turkey and Ukraine distortion usually dual points off a gait and, with a former personification horde to a Croatians and a latter travelling to Reykjavik, any one of these 4 sides could be in stick position this time subsequent week.

Article source: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2017/m=8/news=heavyweight-duels-await-as-stakes-rise-in-europe-2905711.html