SOCCER FOOTBALL 24H

UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying has now reached the halfway point. UEFA.com looks at how the nine groups stand, with just two perfect teams and several big names in peril. UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying is now at the halfway stage with just England and Slovakia holding perfect records and the likes of the Netherlands and Belgium in danger of missing out on automatic places in France. UEFA.com looks at how the nine groups are shaping up. • The next matches are on 12, 13 and 14 June before the groups conclude with September and October double-headers. • The nine group winners, the nine group runners-up and the best third-placed side will qualify directly for the final tournament in France. • The eight remaining third-placed teams will contest play-offs in November to determine the last four qualifiers for the finals. If qualifying were to end now ... Qualified: France (hosts), Czech Republic, Iceland, Wales, Israel, Slovakia, Spain (holders), Poland, Germany, Scotland (best thir...

La Roja travel to Amsterdam for a friendly with the Netherlands, the Azzurri host England in Turin and the Red Devils are on the road to Israel, who were recently thrashed at home to Wales, for a Euro 2016 qualifier. All three top FIFA-ranked teams featured in this treble are either odds-on or short-price favourites for victory, and here are more reasons why you should back this ? Netherlands v Spain Spain face the nation whose hopes they dashed at the 2010 World Cup final, as an Andres Iniesta goal saw the Dutch off 1-0 that day to earn his side glory. La Roja are 6/4 favourites for victory again, and 9/1 to do so by that scoreline. Juventus striker Alvaro Morata netted last time out for his country against Ukraine, and is 7/4 to strike again anytime. The likes of Premier League stars David Silva, Cesc Fabregas and Santi Cazorla could also feature, and are respective 2/1, 10/3 and 7/2 chances in the same market. Italy v England The Azzurri are also up against a team wh...

Reigning European champions Spain will travel to Amsterdam aiming to avenge the 5-1 demolition they suffered at the hands of the Netherlands at last summer’s World Cup in Brazil. The Amsterdam ArenA will host a repeat of the 2010 final, as the Dutch, Vicente del Bosque’s La Roja. Guus Hiddink’s hosts will have no fear against these fellow European heavyweights, having romped to a famous 5-1 triumph over the Spaniards last year, submitting the Iberian outfit to a humiliating group stage defeat.  However, 2010 World Cup winners La Roja,  come into this mouth-watering friendly encounter in the better form, having secured a 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifying win over Ukraine.  Meanwhile, the Dutch stuttered to a 1-1 draw with Turkey in their latest qualifier; as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s lucky late leveller earned a vital point. The form of Clockwork Orange will give their Spanish opponents a boost of confidence, having lost four of the seven games since Hiddink took over fro...

Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels has admitted he wants to leave the Bundesliga. The former Bayern Munich star has been linked with a move away from Dortmund in recent months and is understood to have attracted interest from a number of clubs. United manager Louis van Gaal is a big admirer of the centre-back, who joined Dortmund in 2009. And the 26-year-old has put the Dutchman on red alert by revealing that he has plans to leave Germany. He told Kicker: "Some days I think I would definitely like to move abroad but then, other days, I think I don't fancy it at all." "Basically I think moving abroad would be good for my professional and personal well-being. Eventually, I'd like to leave the Bundesliga.". Radamel Falcao, who is being tracked by Chelsea, has insisted he is fully committed to Manchester United. The Colombian, who is currently on a season-long loan from Monaco, is reportedly a target for Italian champions Juventus. Well re...

Late draws for both the Netherlands and Italy in their recent respective Euro 2016 qualifiers have papered over some pretty big cracks that have appeared in these major continental footballing forces. Clockwork Orange coach Guus Hiddink clings to what might be his last job in management, after Klaas-Jan Huntelaar diverted in Wesley Sneijder’s shot to pinch a home point from a tasty tie against Turkey. Five points adrift of a guaranteed place at the European Championship finals at the halfway stage in Group A, the Dutch are behind Iceland, who continue to be a surprise package, and a far from vintage Czech Republic outfit that top this pool. Against the Turks, a combination of dodgy defending from 23-year-old centre backs Stefan de Vrij and Bruno Martins Indi, who both earned moves off the back of Orange exploits under Louis van Gaal at the World Cup last summer, and profligacy up top explain two dropped points. Dutch faith in youth remains ironclad and...

The last time Brazil and Chile met, they played out one of the most memorable games of last summer's World Cup. This time it was very different with the expectations of a sold-out Emirates Stadium deflated by a bad-tempered match of few chances and Roberto Firmino's 73rd-minute goal a rare moment to remember. It would be no surprise to discover Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Brendan Rodgers and Chris Ramsey – the Premier League managers with players involved – watched the game through their fingers, before breathing a sigh of relief that there were no big injuries. The result, though, was enough for Brazil coach Dunga to declare himself satisfied as his side continued to rebuild morale after the humiliating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany at last year's World Cup. But Dunga made it clear Atkinson's performance – and in particular the referee's failure to spot a first-half stamp by Gary Medel on Neymar – had failed to impress. A week ago, the referee sent o...

Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels has admitted he wants to leave the Bundesliga. The former Bayern Munich star has been linked with a move away from Dortmund in recent months and is understood to have attracted interest from a number of clubs. United manager Louis van Gaal is a big admirer of the centre-back, who joined Dortmund in 2009. And the 26-year-old has put the Dutchman on red alert by revealing that he has plans to leave Germany. He told Kicker: "Some days I think I would definitely like to move abroad but then, other days, I think I don't fancy it at all." "Basically I think moving abroad would be good for my professional and personal well-being. Eventually, I'd like to leave the Bundesliga.". Radamel Falcao, who is being tracked by Chelsea, has insisted he is fully committed to Manchester United. The Colombian, who is currently on a season-long loan from Monaco, is reportedly a target for Italian champions Juventus. Well re...

Goals either side of half time in Haifa from Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale, who later struck again, sent Wales top of Euro 2016 qualifying Group B as the Dragons knocked 10-man Israel from this pool’s perch. Chris Coleman’s side are now unbeaten in five competitive outings in this campaign to reach the European Championship finals in France next summer, and their prospects of being there are now very real as they cannot be displaced from an automatic spot during this international break no matter what. Israel’s excellent start to qualification unraveled in seven mad minutes around the interval. Early Welsh efforts through later scorers Ramsey and Bale went wide, while James Collins was relieved to see a raised offside flag spare his blushes after hitting fresh air when he had an open goal to aim at from point blank range. Wayne Hennessey had to be on hand to turn behind from Eran Zahavi, as fine Israeli form and fortune deserted the hosts. They lost Omer ...

England,  will only have 17 outfield players available for their prestige friendly away to Italy in Turin on Tuesday, March 31st, after four squad members withdrew injured following the 4-0 qualifying win over Lithuania. Forward pair Raheem Sterling (toe) and Danny Welbeck (knee) both started and scored in that victory, but have been joined in pulling out of the party to face the Azzurri by left back Leighton Baines and versatile midfielder James Milner. Three Lions national boss Roy Hodgson has called up Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand, who will compete with Arsenal counterpart Kieran Gibbs to replace Baines on that flank of defence. Earlier injuries to Luke Shaw (Manchester United) and Danny Rose (Tottenham) mean England have had five different left backs on their roster during this current international break. Losing both Sterling and Welbeck from the squad leaves just three forwards available to Hodgson; national captain Wayne Rooney, recent debutant...