Italy on top after France draw in Ukraine

Ukraine 2-2 France

Andriy Shevchenko's second-half header earned Ukraine a point from their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying Group B dead rubber against France in Kiev.

Frey error
The hosts had gone ahead early on through Andriy Voronin, but well-taken goals by Thierry Henry and Sidney Govou put France, who had already qualified for next summer's finals, in front. France goalkeeper Sébastien Frey failed to deal with Shevchenko's looping header in the opening minutes of the second half so the spoils were shared on a freezing night in the Ukraine capital.

Voronin strikes
France started well, dominating possession with Lassana Diarra and Claude Makelele bossing the centre of midfield. It was against the run of play that Ukraine, out of the running for qualification, broke the deadlock in the 14th minute. A cross from the right reached Oleh Gusev who laid the ball back for Voronin to score from 20 metres.

France danger
Les Bleus deservedly equalised six minutes later. Henry controlled Makelele's pass before finding space and curling a fine left-foot shot round goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov. Shevchenko had a stinging shot saved by Frey, but France still looked dangerous and they took the lead for the first time on 34 minutes. Govou spun his marker and played a one-two with Karim Benzema before bending a curling effort from the left into the corner.

Runners up
Ukraine were gifted an equaliser by Frey at the start of the second half. Shevchenko's looping header from a deep, left-wing cross looked harmless, but the ACF Fiorentina goalkeeper failed to catch the ball one-handed and tipped it into his own net. Both sides had chances before the end, but France had already done enough to claim the runners-up spot behind Italy in Group B.



Italy 3-1 Faroe Islands

Italy completed their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying campaign by securing top spot in Group B with a 3-1 triumph over the Faroe Islands in Modena.

Faroes point-less
Defender Fródi Benjaminsen's own goal put the world champions in front after eleven minutes, Luca Toni doubled the lead on 36 minutes and Giorgio Chiellini's stunning strike four minutes before the break gave the Azzurri a commanding advantage. Rógvi Jacobsen's header reduced the deficit seven minutes from the end but the visitors ended the qualifying tournament without a single point.

Reshuffled side
Having already earned qualification for next summer's finals, Italy coach Roberto Donadoni made eight changes from Saturday's 2-1 triumph in Scotland but his reshuffled side did not take long to break the deadlock. Toni had already directed a close-range header just wide when Benjaminsen deflected Massimo Oddo's cross into his own net. Italy continued to press forward and shortly after the half-hour they increased their advantage, Toni getting on to the end of Fabio Grosso's cross before firing past Jákup Mikkelsen.

Reward
The home side continued to control possession and their efforts were rewarded again when Chiellini's 25-metre drive stunned Mikkelsen. At the other end, the Faroes threatened with Súni Olsen's shot from distance falling just wide of Marco Amelia's far post. Into the second half and Mikkelsen had to dive at full stretch to stop Toni's right-footed effort while Hanus Thorleifson made a goalline clearance from Italy substitute Fabio Quagliarella's powerful header.

Italia vs Far Oer 3-1 Qualif Euro2008

Job done
Jógvan Martin Olsen's team did not just defend, though, and on 83 minutes, they found the net when Jacobsen's powerful header towards the near post beat Amelia. Italy might have conceded a second had Amelia not saved Jóhan Davidsen's header but by then, the job was done.



Georgia 0-2 Lithuania

Lithuania rode their luck to beat Georgia in Tbilisi courtesy of second-half goals by Audrius Ksanavicius and Mindaugas Kalonas.

Second-half strikes
Ksanavicius put the visitors in front against the run of play on 52 minutes, before substitute Kalonas added a second deep into stoppage time to secure Lithuania's fifth victory of the UEFA EURO 2008™ campaign.

Home pressure
The hosts had begun positively, with David Kvirkvelia's 30-metre shot being well saved by Žydrunas Karčemarskas. From the resulting corner, Karčemarskas was called into action again to deny a David Siradze header, while Levan Kenia also threatened for Georgia with a close-range header that was blocked by Marius Stankevicius.

Key saves
Edgaras Jankauskas had Lithuania's first attempt on 26 minutes, a wayward drive from distance, while at the other end Georgia hit the post when Zurab Menteshashvili's inswinging free-kick narrowly evaded team-mates Kakha Kaladze and Lasha Salukvadze. Then Kenia played in Siradze whose effort from the left of the area was stopped by the legs of Karčemarskas. The Lithuania keeper would also thwart Kenia before the half-time whistle blew.

Points won
So Georgia had received little warning of danger when Ksanavicius beat Giorgi Makaridze with a low strike as he approached the home team's area. Stankevicius might have doubled the advantage in the 73rd minute as he volleyed Kalonas's corner over the bar, although Levan Mchedlidze went even closer for Georgia with an overhead kick. The next, deciding goal, however, went to Lithuania as Kalonas finished off good work down the right from Andrius Velička. The result left Lithuania on 16 points in Group B, six above the Georgians.