European Championship Qualifiers

Qualification, finishing first or second, gives you automatic qualification. The only other automatic qualifier is the best third place team. The other third place teams, will play-off for the right to qualify.

Please note, all the groups are taken from UEFA.com, and are correct at the time of publishing.

Group A

Home			Away			Total
Teams	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Iceland	6	3	0	0	2	0	1	5	0	1	14	3	11	15
Czech Republic	6	2	1	0	2	0	1	4	1	1	12	8	4	13
Netherlands	6	2	1	0	1	0	2	3	1	2	13	6	7	10
Turkey	6	1	0	1	1	2	1	2	2	2	7	8	-1	8
Latvia	6	0	1	2	0	2	1	0	3	3	2	13	-11	3
Kazakhstan	6	0	1	3	0	0	2	0	1	5	4	14	-10	1

Although, there were no real surprises in this group at the weekend, the real surprise of the group is that the Netherlands are in 3rd place. It is undoubtedly one of the toughest groups, with Turkey, Czech Republic, Iceland, as well as relative minnows, Latvia and Kazakhstan, but neither are complete pushovers. 

Netherlands are 3rd because they have lost to Czech Republic and Iceland away and drew with Turkey at home. They will need to beat Czech Republic and Iceland at home, to give themselves a realistic chance of automatic qualification.

Group B

Home			Away			Total
Teams	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Wales	6	2	1	0	2	1	0	4	2	0	8	2	6	14
Belgium	6	2	1	0	1	1	1	3	2	1	13	2	11	11
Israel	6	1	0	2	2	0	1	3	0	3	10	9	1	9
Cyprus	6	1	0	1	2	0	2	3	0	3	12	11	1	9
Bosnia and Herzegovina	6	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	8	7	1	8
Andorra	6	0	0	4	0	0	2	0	0	6	3	23	-20	0

Wales pulled off a fantastic result by beating Belgium, Gareth Bale capitalising on a defensive error to secure a 1-0 win and give themselves a 3 point lead at the top of the group.

Defeat is no disaster though for Belgium, as they are still in a strong position in 2nd place. The race for 3rd is a lot tighter in the group, with Bosnia's win over Israel, moving them to 8 points, within 1 point of Cyprus and Israel. Cyprus have now played Andorra twice, so you would expect them to drop away, leaving 3rd place a battle between Israel and Bosnia.

Group C

Home			Away			Total
Teams	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Slovakia	6	3	0	0	3	0	0	6	0	0	13	3	10	18
Spain	6	3	0	0	2	0	1	5	0	1	15	3	12	15
Ukraine	6	2	0	1	2	0	1	4	0	2	9	2	7	12
Belarus	6	0	0	3	1	1	1	1	1	4	4	11	-7	4
FYR Macedonia	6	1	0	2	0	0	3	1	0	5	6	14	-8	3
Luxembourg	6	0	1	2	0	0	3	0	1	5	3	17	-14	1

Slovakia are the surprise of Group C, their 2-1 win over Spain in Zilinia in October 2014, came courtesy of a late Miroslav Stoch strike, this ended Spain's 8 year unbeaten run in qualifying.


It's hard to look past Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine as top 3, and it could be that all 3 qualify automatically, as Ukraine are currently the top 3rd placed team. 

Group D

Home			Away			Total
Teams	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Poland	6	2	1	0	2	1	0	4	2	0	20	3	17	14
Germany	6	2	1	0	2	0	1	4	1	1	16	4	12	13
Scotland	6	3	0	0	0	2	1	3	2	1	12	6	6	11
Republic of Ireland	6	1	2	0	1	1	1	2	3	1	12	5	7	9
Georgia	6	0	0	3	1	0	2	1	0	5	4	13	-9	3
Gibraltar	6	0	0	3	0	0	3	0	0	6	1	34	-33	0

Poland top group D, after surprising Germany in a 2-0 win in Warsaw in October. They are also top scorers across all the groups with 20 goals, Robert Lewandowski, is also the top scorer in qualifying with 7 (including a 4 minute hat-trick against Georgia).

Germany are still favourites for the group, with September's game against Poland being crucial.

The race for 3rd is a hotly contested one between the 2 celtic nations of Scotland and Ireland, with Scotland currently edging it, but both teams have Germany and Poland still to play.

Group E

Home			Away			Total
Teams	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
England	6	3	0	0	3	0	0	6	0	0	18	3	15	18
Switzerland	6	2	0	1	2	0	1	4	0	2	13	4	9	12
Slovenia	6	2	0	1	1	0	2	3	0	3	12	7	5	9
Estonia	6	2	0	1	0	1	2	2	1	3	3	5	-2	7
Lithuania	6	1	0	2	1	0	2	2	0	4	4	12	-8	6
San Marino	6	0	1	2	0	0	3	0	1	5	0	19	-19	1

England have dominated Group E, with an away win in Switzerland, being their most notable win. They are also 2nd top scorers in qualifying and wiht 4 games to play, automatic qualification, seems assured.

2nd place may well depend on the result between Switzerland and Slovenia in September, Slovenia won the tie in October, and with Switzerland still having to face England at Wembley, a draw or a win, could see Slovenia automatically qualify.

San Marino are the only team yet to score in qualifying.

Group F

Home			Away			Total
Teams	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Romania	6	2	1	0	2	1	0	4	2	0	7	1	6	14
Northern Ireland	6	2	1	0	2	0	1	4	1	1	8	4	4	13
Hungary	6	1	1	1	2	1	0	3	2	1	5	3	2	11
Faroe Islands	6	1	0	2	1	0	2	2	0	4	4	8	-4	6
Finland	6	0	1	2	1	0	2	1	1	4	5	8	-3	4
Greece	6	0	0	3	0	2	1	0	2	4	2	7	-5	2

This is one of the tightest groups, with no real clear favourite. Romania lead the way, and face Hungary next at home. Northern Ireland are closer to qualification than they have been in a long time. Their two fixtures in September could be key, away to Faroe Islands and then at home to Hungary, 6 points would almost guarantee qualification.

The big surprise is the Faroe Islands, normally considered whipping boys, they have pulled off a double win over the Greeks, who look a shadow of the side that won the Euros in 2004. Read more about them here.

Group G

Home			Away			Total
Teams	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Austria	6	2	1	0	3	0	0	5	1	0	11	2	9	16
Sweden	6	2	1	0	1	2	0	3	3	0	10	4	6	12
Russia	6	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	9	4	5	8
Montenegro	6	1	1	1	0	1	2	1	2	3	4	8	-4	5
Liechtenstein	6	0	2	1	1	0	2	1	2	3	2	12	-10	5
Moldova	6	0	0	3	0	2	1	0	2	4	3	9	-6	2

Russia were the favourites for Group G but find themselves 8 points adrift of Austria, after a dreadful start to the group. They have lost to Austria twice, and drawn with Moldova. There are now even fans trying to crowd fund to remove Fabio Capello.

Austria have been the team of the group so far, winning all their games except for a draw with Sweden. Austria and Sweden are favourites for automatic qualification, but Russia face Sweden in Moscow in the next round of games, and that could be crucial to Russia's automatic qualification chances.

Licehtenstein have had a great qualification campaign, beating Moldova, and then drawing with Moldova and Montenegro, who have had a poor qualification campaign, and will hope Jovetic can stay fit.

Group H

Home			Away			Total
Teams	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Croatia	6	3	1	0	1	1	0	4	2	0	16	3	13	14
Italy	6	1	1	0	2	2	0	3	3	0	9	5	4	12
Norway	6	1	1	1	2	0	1	3	1	2	7	8	-1	10
Bulgaria	6	0	2	1	2	0	1	2	2	2	7	7	0	8
Azerbaijan	6	1	0	2	0	1	2	1	1	4	4	11	-7	4
Malta	6	0	0	3	0	1	2	0	1	5	1	10	-9	1

Group H is one of the most contested, with 4th placed Bulgaria only 6 points behind leaders Croatia. 

Italy have struggled for goals, especially against the likes of Azerbaijan and Malta, recording 2-1 and 1-0 wins respectively. 

Croatia and Italy have played each other twice now, both games 1-1 draws, and that should mean both will qualify automatically, especially after Norway's 5-1 defeat against Croatia and 0-0 draw with Azerbaijan.

Group I

Home			Away			Total
Teams	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Portugal	5	2	0	1	2	0	0	4	0	1	7	4	3	12
Denmark	5	2	0	1	1	1	0	3	1	1	8	4	4	10
Albania	4	1	1	0	1	0	1	2	1	1	4	5	-1	7
Serbia *	5	1	0	1	0	1	2	1	1	3	6	8	-2	1
Armenia	5	0	1	1	0	0	3	0	1	4	5	9	-4	1

Group I has had its fair share of controversy, the Serbia v Albania match was abandoned after violent scenes and geographic politics marred the game. Serbia were simultaneously awarded the win and deducted 3 points, which leaves them with 1 point, despite having a win to their name.

Serbia's campaign hasn't been helped by that, as they have lost to Denmark twice, and Portugal once, and they only managed a draw with Armenia. It is a very poor performance, from a side with the likes of Ivanovic, Kolarov, Nastasic, Matic, Markovic, Tadic, Ljajic, and Dordevic. 

Albania have a game in hand and have already beaten Portugal, so can't be ruled out from challenging the top 2. The Denmark v Albania game in Copenhagen, could be crucial in deciding who gets the 2nd automatic qualification place.