Nine in international action
Last updated : 02 September 2005 By Pancho Villa
Defender Wilfred Bouma will be in action for the Netherlands when they travel to Armenia as they seek to cement their place atop Group 1 but should they slip up, new Villa team-mate Milan Baroš’s Czech Republic side could leapfrog them with victory in Romania. Group 8 is similarly tight, and Olof Mellberg’s Swedish side, who face Bulgaria in Stockholm, lie just a point behind leaders Croatia.
Denmark have narrow hopes of qualification and must beat Turkey in Istanbul to keep their hopes alive, and Thomas Sørenson will hope for a similar result as the 4-1 win against England recently. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland have other concerns and Aaron Hughes and Steven Davis will be in action as Lawrie Sanchez’s side attempt to avoid the Group 6 wooden spoon against Azerbaijan.
Ulises de la Cruz’s Ecuador side could close in on a place in Germany with a win in Bolivia, while Juan Pablo Angel’s Colombia side travel to Uruguay on Sunday. Eric Djemba-Djemba takes on the Ivory Coast with Cameroon in a crucial encounter which his side, currently lying two points adrift of their opponents, must win.
