2010 Football World Cup Qualifiers
England, Northern Ireland and Scotland Chasing Qualification
Apr 2, 2009
But Wales' hopes of qualification for the first time in over half a century are all but dashed.
Northern Ireland and England top the FIFA European World Cup Qualification Groups Three and Six respectively, while Scotland lie in second spot in Group Nine. But Wales trail in fourth spot in the Group Four, ten points adrift of leaders Germany.
England 2 Ukraine 1
England maintained their lead at the top of FIFA European World Cup Qualification Group Six in this less than convincing victory over the Ukraine at Wembley Stadium, London. This game may not have been a classic in any sense, but by maintaining their 100 per cent record, English coach Fabio Capello's men have put themselves in a strong position to gain automatic qualification for the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa.
After a dreary start England finally broke the deadlock on 29 minutes as Peter Crouch volleyed home a deflected shot.
England's hopes of maintaining their 100 per cent record in the competition looked shaky when former Chelsea star Andriy Shevchenko struck a close range equaliser with just over 15 minutes left on the clock.
But the three vital World Cup qulification points were destined for England as captain John Terrysnatched his side's 85th minute winner.
Northern Ireland 1 Slovenia 0
Warren Feeney's 73rd minute winner kept Northern Ireland's World Cup qualification hopes on track in this FIFA European World Cup Qualification Group Three encounter against Slovenia in front of a packed Windsor Park in Belfast. The result sees Northern Ireland maintain the top automatic qualification spot in the group table.
With Northern Ireland chasing their first FIFA World qualification since 1986, hopes in Belfast were high that the side would be able to build on the 3-2 victory against Poland gained just four days earlier. Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington's men did not disappoint.
The one blot on the Northern Irish copybook is the fact they have played two games more than the Slovakians who are just one point behind the men from Belfast.
Scotland 2 Iceland 1
Scotland needed a victory to maintain any hopes of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and they duly duly obliged by halting Iceland's challenge at Hampden Park, Glasgow.
Still smarting from their 3-0 mauling in Holland just four days earlier, Scotland had to wait until late in the first half before taking the lead through Ross McCormack. Indridi Sigurrson levelled for Iceland nine minutes into the second period, but Steven Fletcher grabbed the Scots' 69th winner.
The victory sees Scotland maintain second spot in FIFA European World Cup Qualifying Group Nine. But they remain eight points shy of leaders Holland. Qualification as one of Europe's best second placed sides via the second phase knock out round appears to the Scots only realistic hope.
Wales 0 Germany 2
Having had their 2010 World Cup qualification aspirations extinguished by a 2-0 surrender to Finland four days earlier, Wales had only pride to play for when they lined up against FIFA European World Cup Qualifying Group Four leaders Germany at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Michael Ballack put the Germans into the lead with a 30-yard blast after only 11 minutes. The game was effectively over when Ashley Williams deflected the ball into his own goal early in the second half.
