What to Watch For: Euro Qualifiers

Qualification for Euro 2012 started in early August with a match between Estonia and the Faroe Islands, but it gets underway in earnest this weekend with 23 matches on Thursday and Friday.  Here's a look at some of the matches worth keeping an eye on, plus some predictions just for the heck of it:


Familiar Foes

Hungary and Sweden will open their Group E campaigns with a match just outside of Stockholm.  This will be the third straight September that these two nations meet up after their pair of World Cup qualifiers in 2008 and 2009, respectively.  The Swedes won both matches by a score of 2-1, stealing a road victory last year with a stoppage time winner.  The third installment could end up going a long way towards sorting out Group E, as Hungary and Sweden will likely battle it out along with the Netherlands for the top two spots.

Prediction: Sweden 1, Hungary 0


On the Rebound:

After their disastrous run in South Africa, Les Bleus will be looking to right the ship under new coach Laurent Blanc.  Their first opportunity will come at Stade de France on Friday; it'll be interesting to see what kind of reception they get and how the players respond under Blanc.

Prediction: France 1, Belarus 0


Upset Alert?:

Italy's World Cup campaign was just as disappointing as that of France, albeit without as much drama.  Former Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli will coach his first competitive match in charge of gli Azzurri, who will also be looking to restore their reputation in the wake of South Africa.  Estonia are by no means world-beaters, but they will be playing in Tallin, where they had a respectable home record in World Cup qualification.  I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Italy will have some difficulty with this one; that's not to say they'll drop points, just that even a win will come with some rough patches.

Prediction: Italy 2, Estonia 1


The World Champs' Competitive Return:

Just two months after their World Cup triumph, Spain get right back into the swing of things with their first Euro qualifier.  Fortunately for them, their first competitive match is against Liechtenstein, who, despite some plucky moments in the past, should make for an easy opponent.  Either way, it will be nice to see the world champs back in competitive action; I'm sure the folks in Vaduz will appreciate the opportunity, even if it means a lopsided loss.

Prediction: Spain 3, Liechtenstein 0


Scottish Drought:

The Scots support their national team with enthusiasm and passion, but they haven't had a whole lot to celebrate in the past decade.  Scotland have missed on the past six major tournaments (not including the Confederations Cup), with their last appearance in the European Championship coming in 1996.  If they are to end their qualification drought, their match on Friday in Lithuania is the kind of match they'll need to take points from.  Otherwise, they could find themselves on the outside looking in when all is said and done.

Prediction: Lithuania 1, Scotland 1


England Euro Repeat?:

The Three Lions failure to qualify for Euro 2008 led to a lot of soul-searching and criticism in England, not to mention the firing of Steve McClaren and the hiring of Fabio Capello.  After a middling showing in South Africa, there is some pressure on Capello and company, and a slip up against Bulgaria on Friday would only add to that scrutiny.  While I do enjoy seeing England struggle, I expect that they'll be able to pull off a positive result at Wembley.

Prediction: England 2, Bulgaria 0


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Enjoy the matches this weekend folks, and stay tuned for a recap of the action this weekend.