England pitted against Wales in Euro qualifiers

ENGLAND will play Wales in the Euro 2012 qualifiers after a favourable draw for Fabio Capello's men in Warsaw yesterday.

The British pair will also face Switzerland, Bulgaria and Montenegro in Group G and will be glad to have avoided the likes of Sweden and Czech Republic from the second seeds.

The Swiss qualified for the World Cup by winning their group while the threat of Bulgaria's Dimitar Berbatov and Martin Petrov is well-known to seasoned Premier League viewers.

But Switzerland's qualification was actually far from convincing and even included a defeat to Luxembourg.

And Bulgaria, like Berbatov, look far too inconsistent to mount a sustained challenge.

England's last meetings with Wales came in the qualifiers for World Cup 2006. England won 2-0 at Old Trafford and 1-0 in Cardiff on their way to topping the group.

But even this youthful Wales side can take heart from the draw in that it offers them a chance for their best performance since Mark Hughes led them to the playoffs for Euro 2004.

By contrast, Scotland got a stinker of a group and must overcome holders Spain as well as the Czechs. Lithuania and Liechtenstein complete Group I.

The Scots' last major tournament appearance was at World Cup 1998 and this is certainly a tough first assignment for new head coach Craig Levein.

The draw was also rather unkind to Northern Ireland who face three World Cup finalists - Italy, Serbia and Slovenia - in their section as well as Estonia and Faroe Islands.

But the improving Northern Irish have done well in the last two sets of qualifiers against bigger opposition, famously beating England and Spain in Belfast.

And Nigel Worthington's men will undoubtedly once again relish their position as underdogs in most of their games.

Having come so close in the World Cup qualifiers, the Republic of Ireland will fancy their chances in Group B against Russia, Slovakia, Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra.

But with five of the six teams coming from eastern Europe, the Irish will be doing a lot of travelling in the next 18 months.

At least, the draw did not pair them with France after that playoff heartbreak for Ireland.

Instead, the French will renew acquaintances with Romania after score draws in both their World Cup qualifying games and a 0-0 at the Euro 2008 finals.

Bosnia-Herzegovina, who reached the World Cup 2010 qualifying playoffs, Belarus, Albania and Luxembourg are the other teams in Group D.

Portugal also find a familiar opponent in Denmark in Group H.

The Danes took four points out of six against the Portuguese in the recent World Cup qualifiers to top the group, forcing Portugal into a playoff.

Denmark's Scandinavian rivals Norway are joined by Cyprus and Iceland to complete the group.

Netherlands also face two Nordic tests in Sweden and Finland who were drawn into Group E along with Hungary, Moldova and perpetual minnows San Marino.

That leaves just two groups. In Group A, Germany should be able to cope against Turkey and neighbours Austria with Belgium, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan completing the section.

And Group F looks the easiest draw of all. Group seeds Croatia have been pitted against Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia and Malta.

Of those six teams, only Greece have made it to the World Cup - and then only via a playoff.

Full Euro 2012 Qualifying Draw
51 teams have been drawn into six groups of six teams and three groups of five teams.
The nine group winners and best runners-up qualify automatically alongside co-hosts Poland and Ukraine. The other eight runners-up contest playoffs for the remaining four places.

GROUP A
Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan
GROUP B
Russia, Slovakia, Republic of Ireland, Macedonia, Armenia, Andorra
GROUP C
Italy, Serbia, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia, Faroe Islands
GROUP D
France, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belarus, Albania, Luxembourg
GROUP E
Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Moldova, San Marino
GROUP F
Croatia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia, Malta
GROUP G
England, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales, Montenegro
GROUP H
Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Iceland
GROUP I
Spain, Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania, Liechtenstein

Matchdays available for fixtures
Note: Fixtures for all groups yet to be announced
2010
3-4 September, 7 September, 8-9 October, 12 October
2011
25-26 March, 29 March, 3-4 June, 7 June, 2-3 September, 6 September, 7-8 October, 11 October