Croatia play host to Georgia on Friday while Greece are at home to Malta a day later as the race for top spot in Euro 2012 Group F heats up.

Heading into the weekend s qualifiers, Group F shapes as one of the tournament s most open.

Greece the 2004 champions top the table on 11 points, just one ahead of Croatia and Israel, with Georgia in fourth place on nine points.

Greece and Croatia have both played one game fewer than Croatia and Israel, and will be keen to claim full points from their home matches this weekend to put some breathing space between themselves and those chasing.

Croatia will be hoping for more good form from Spurs midfielder Niko Kranjcar, who has four goals in the campaign so far.

Israel journey to Latvia on Saturday in the gro…

Competition: Euro 2016
Market: England to win against Wales
Odds:

England lock horns with Wales in their second Euro 2016 Group B clash at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis this afternoon, and the Three Lions are favourites to see past the Dragons to finish the day top of the table going into their final outing.

England are currently third in Group B after their first game following a 1-1 draw with Russia. Victory over leaders Wales would see Roy Hodgson’s side leapfrog their rivals at the summit, but it won’t come easy. Wales impressed in their 2-1 win over Slovakia, and know a draw could be enough to progress into the knockouts.

Wales are top of the group with maximum points from their first game, and are in pole position to reach the next round. Wit…

Spain s best football players took in some top-class sailing in Alicante hours before meeting Scotland on the pitch.

Vicente Del Bosque s side were based in the coastal city of Alicante as they prepared to play their Euro 2012 qualifier at the Estadio Jose Rico Perez on Tuesday.

The team visited Emirates Team New Zealand, one of the six competing teams who are set to take part in the Volvo Ocean Race.

The Volvo Ocean race begins on October 29, with six elite crews leaving Alicante, for a nine-month race around the world.

They ll have to battle the elements as they complete nine gruelling stages around the planet.

Starting from Spain, the course meanders down to Cape Town before moving on to Abu Dhabi, China and New Zealand.

The race then …

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer believes Sweden sounded a World Cup warning with their play-off victory over Italy.

Joachim Low s world champions begin their Russia 2018 campaign in Group F against Mexico – a side they dispatched 4-1 on the way to Confederations Cup glory earlier this year.

South Korea are also in the section alongside Sweden, whose two-legged 1-0 triumph over Italy last month meant the Azzurri missed out on the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958.

We ve got opponents who are not unknown to us. I always like it best when we know what to expect, said Bayern Munich star Neuer, who is set to return in the new year following surgery on a broken foot.

captain : We have to take each opponent very seriously, but our aim has to be…

Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly drawing interest from Milan, Juventus and Manchester United, and will have the chance to further his stock after a late call-up for the Netherlands at Euro 2024.

Oranje boss Ronald Koeman has lost Frenkie de Jong and Teun Koopmeiners, as well as midfielder Marten de Roon, in the build-up to the tournament in Germany.

Koeman criticised former club Barcelona for their handling of the injured De Jong before Koopmeiners absence was also confirmed this week in another blow for the Netherlands.

Ajax forward Brian Brobbey is another said to be struggling for fitness, forcing the Dutch to act swiftly with reinforcements.

Zirkzee s inclusion was confirmed on Wednesday as the Netherlands added the striker to their international camp ahe…

Roberto Martinez has confirmed Kevin De Bruyne will be fit for Euro 2020, albeit the Belgium star may not be able to feature in the opening game.

Martinez had been confident his talisman would be available for the tournament despite a facial injury suffered in Manchester City s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea.

De Bruyne sustained a fractured nose and left orbital in a collision with Antonio Rudiger, and was clearly in distress as he left the field in Porto.

However, after medical assessments and a minor surgical  intervention – as Martinez described it – De Bruyne has been passed fit to link up with Belgium s squad on Monday.

After looking at the images, it was decided Kevin needed a little bit of an intervention and that has taken place to…

Northern Ireland s Euro 2016 hero Michael McGovern has joined Norwich City on a three-year deal.

Goalkeeper McGovern s Hamilton Academical contract expired at the end of last season and he had been tipped to join Rangers, but a string of impressive displays in France most notably against Group C giants Germany attracted interest from elsewhere.

The 32-year-old now heads to Carrow Road, linking up with former Hamilton manager Alex Neil, as the Canaries look to bounce back from last season s Premier League relegation.

Having worked with the gaffer before, that was a big pull for me, McGovern told Norwich s official website.

I had some interest from elsewhere but I m really looking forward to working with him again now at Norwich. It s nice to join a clu…

Manchester United open their 2019-20 Premier League campaign with a home game against Chelsea, who are expected to be under new leadership with Maurizio Sarri linked with Juventus.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faces a rebuilding project at Old Trafford after his side missed out on qualification for the Champions League last term.

United will hope for better results in this season s Manchester derby clashes with rivals Manchester City, who won both games in 2018-19 as they defended their title, becoming the first team to do so since the Red Devils a decade ago.

The first Manchester derby of the new season is set for December 7 at the Etihad Stadium, with the return match held at Old Trafford on March 7.

Manchester United s 2019-20 Premier League fixtures in full (all…

Rodrigo De Paul says the Argentina captaincy still belongs to Lionel Messi despite his extended injury lay-off.

The Inter Miami star has been out of action since the Copa America final due to an ankle injury and will not be involved in Argentina s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia.

Messi is still a key part of Lionel Sclaoni s plans with the national side, and he played in all but one of their games at that tournament, though only registered one goal and one assist for the tournament.

Angel Di Maria retired from international duty after their Copa America triumph and was the usual deputy to Messi, who has captained Albiceleste since 2011.

With neither of those two available, it is expected that De Paul, who has 69 international cap…

Liverpool s frustrating run continued as they slipped to a 1-0 Premier League defeat against Southampton, handing further impetus to Manchester United and the chasing pack.

Having drawn their final two games of 2020 to West Brom and Newcastle United, Liverpool were downed by an early goal from their former striker Danny Ings at St Mary s.

They remain top, above United on goal difference having played a game more ahead of a crunch clash between the two old rivals at Anfield on January 17.

Ings earliest goal of his Premier League career came after Liverpool switched off from a James Ward-Prowse free-kick.

Southampton might have added to their lead before half-time, but although Jurgen Klopp s champions dominated after the restart, they could not avoid a …