With just a few games left before the automatic qualifiers for the Euro 2008 championships in Austria and Switzerland are revealed, it is notable that not every country who were expected to progress will be there.
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Luiz Felipe Scolari clashes with Serbian defender Ivica Dragutinovic at the end of the Euro 2008 qualifier.
Hosting the last European Championships on home soil, Portugal were runners-up to surprise winners Greece in 2004, but are currently struggling to qualify for next summer's competition sitting four points off the lead.
Luis Felipe Scolari's side find themselves in an unenviable position in Group A. With the fiery Brazilian already banned for the country's next three games after an altercation with Serbian defender Ivica Dragutinovic at the end of their 1-1 draw in Lisbon last month, Portugal will need to put together an almost perfect run of results in their remaining fixtures to seal qualification.
Granted, they have a game in hand and their next games are away in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, but the Portuguese have not impressed in their qualifying campaign so far, drawing with Armenia and failing to beat nearest rivals Finland and Poland.
Facing the Finns in their final game in November, Scolari will not want it to go down to the wire against Roy Hodgson's side, although he can take heart from the fact that Finland were beaten by Azerbaijan early in the campaign and still have them to play again.
Boasting the likes of Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani, Barcelona's Deco, Porto's Ricardo Quaresma and the defensive solidity of Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho and Juve's Jorge Andrade, the Portuguese really should have done better and Scolari has yet to face the Portuguese Football Federation over his actions in Lisbon. A World Cup winner with Brazil, failure to qualify for Euro 2008 would surely result in the sack for 'Big Phil' and possibly the freedom of Finland for Hodgson if his team can take their place.
Intriguingly poised, Group B could see either of European giants Italy or France crash out if Scotland can keep up their incredible push for qualification.
The Scots have beaten the French twice already in qualification and largely have the skills of goalkeeper Craig Gordon to thank for keeping them in contention. With a huge game against the Ukraine at home, followed by a relatively easy trip to Georgia, the ball is in the Scottish court as they stand two points clear of the French. Yet the group is so tight that it will surely come down to the results of France v Ukraine and Scotland v Italy in the final fixture to determine who will go through.
With Raymond Domenech's superstars playing catch-up, the Italians could also be in trouble if they fail to get something from Hampden Park. They do have a game against the Faroe Islands in reserve, and have got themselves back on track after a poor start; but, even with a host of players on the shortlist for FIFA's 2007 World Player of the Year award, nothing is ever certain with the
Azzurri.
The possibility of the current European Champions, Greece, heading out in Group C remains a remote one given that they are two points clear with a game in hand; but avowed rivals Turkey have a tougher task with the Greeks, Norway and Bosnia-Herzegovina standing before them and qualification.
Disappointment over the Turkish failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, after losing out to Switzerland, is still evident and the Norway game on November 17 will almost certainly prove vital for either side's hopes.
Both Germany and the Czech Republic have succeeded in avoiding any slip-ups in Group D to ensure that they should both qualify easily enough. Six points adrift, Steve Staunton's Republic of Ireland seem to have been more concerned with the variety of excuses given by Man City's Stephen Ireland to avoid his call-up, rather than their own chances of qualification. It would take a miracle for the Republic to upset the big two.
England are the big-name potential casualties from Group E, although there would have to be a mighty upset against Estonia at home and away (on a plastic pitch) against Russia. Steve McClaren's men have been in good form of late and seem to have banished the early malaise that saw them draw 0-0 with Macedonia and lose 2-0 away in Croatia.
Still, the vultures are circling, in particular for goalkeeper Paul Robinson who has failed to convince anyone that he is worthy of retaining the number one jersey after a series of poor performances for club and country in recent games.
Having won 3-0 in their last four qualifiers, McClaren will be confident of success despite being three points behind group leaders Croatia and having both Russia and Israel waiting to pounce on any slip-ups. The group could be split wide open with an England defeat on Russia's plastic pitch next Wednesday.
Group F also contains the possibility of a shock, if Northern Ireland can continue their impressive run and take advantage of Spain's erratic form.
Empics
David Healy celebrates scoring twice and downing the unbeaten Sweden.
The problem for Nigel Worthington's men comes in the fact that they have to play the other top teams in the group as their final fixtures. Away in Sweden and Spain, the Irish also host Denmark at Windsor Park. Five points behind, the Danes do have a game in hand, but could yet rue UEFA's decision to hand them a 3-0 loss to Sweden after one of their fans attacked the referee in June.
Spain, who also face their other qualification rivals in their final games, have been hit by an injury to leading scorer David Villa. And with coach Luis Aragones's decision not to show up for a news conference after the win over Latvia, the Spanish media have yet again heaped the pressure on one of Europe's biggest under-achievers though.
Losing 3-2 to Northern Ireland at the start of the campaign, thanks to a hat-trick by David Healy, Spain will need a positive result if they are to avoid further embarrassment and make it to Austria & Switzerland. Still, with the Irish players in-fighting on the plane home after a disappointing loss to Iceland, the desire is there to cause one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history and the Healy-inspired team will be tough to overcome if they can claw back the three point gap.
Finally, Group G looks as if it will be Romania and Holland making it through, although Bulgaria are pushing both sides hard.
On first look, the Dutch will be disappointed that they did not take control of a weak group and have, in fact, played poorly in accumulating their second spot. While Romania have certainly been one of the surprise packages in the competition so far, and with Adrian Mutu scoring goals, look good for their first place and automatic qualification.
It would be a shock if Bulgaria were to overhaul Holland and make it through to the finals, but with the Dutch among a host of established nations failing to impress, they may not be the only side left ruing missed opportunities after the final qualifying games have been played.
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