Ukraine, Italy head into showdown on Euro 2008 bubble

The first team to qualify for last year's World Cup is struggling to reach next year's European Championship.

Ukraine, which surprisingly reached the quarter-finals in Germany, will play World Cup champion Italy tomorrow in a Euro 2008 qualifier that both teams need to win to stay near the top of Group B.

"Winning is the only thing that can save us," Ukraine captain Andriy Shevchenko said. "We have got to play this game at 200%.

"We are battlers and this is our quality. To beat them, we are going to have to fight."

The match is one of 22 scheduled for tomorrow across Europe, with qualifying for the tournament in Austria and Switzerland continuing through November.



Italy and Ukraine have played each three times in the last 18 months, including Italy's 3-0 win in the World Cup quarter-finals.

The Italians, who won their fourth World Cup final by beating France on penalties in Berlin, were held to a 0-0 draw by the visiting French team on Saturday. Now, Italy is in danger of missing out on the European Championship as World Cup champion for the second time in 25 years.

Ukraine, which started competing in 1994 after breaking away from the Soviet Union, was held to a 1-1 draw by Georgia on Saturday and is in fourth place in Group B with 13 points. France leads with 19 points, followed by Scotland with 18 and Italy with 17. France hosts Scotland.

Shevchenko will lead Ukraine's attack despite failing to play for Chelsea this season, while Italy will be without injured players Luca Toni and Gennaro Gattuso.

G14 PLANS ON DOUBLING

The G14 group of Europe's biggest soccer clubs plans to double its membership in a move that could lead to better relations with UEFA and FIFA. Representatives from the group's 18 members -- including Real Madrid, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and AC Milan -- meet for their general assembly on Thursday. They are expected to approve a plan which could expand G14 to as many as 45 clubs from more than 20 countries, G14 chairman Thomas Kurth said. Lyon's Jean-Michel Aulas, who took over from Arsenal's David Dein as G14 president earlier this year, has made expansion a priority. New UEFA president Michel Platini has indicated that dialogue would be easier if the group broadened its representation. But it remains unclear how the expansion would affect persistent conflicts between G14 and FIFA and UEFA. These disputes include such things as releasing players for national team duty.

By SUN WIRE SERVICES