Qualifying for Euro 2012 is just about ready to start winding down as teams move into the second half of the qualifying campaign beginning this weekend. Unfortunately, what should be a great weekend of football and a good bye to European football as we head into the summer isn’t so great. The fixture list is filled with duds as the top teams take on the European minnows, so most of the matches aren’t even worth reading the match reports.
Euro 2012 Qualifying: Belgium-Turkey, Portugal-Norway, And More
That said, there are a few matches worth checking out, with most coming in the battle for second place in the group. Nobody wants to be the runners up, but when it comes to Euro qualifying, it matters. The top second place teams will qualify for play-offs against each other for the final spots in next summer’s tournament, making second place an important spot in the group. So while a few teams will essentially wrap up first place in the group this weekend, the battles for second place only heat up.
Belgium vs. Turkey- Friday, 2:45 pm ET
This Group A battle could very well decide which team finishes second in the group and earns a spot in a play-off to make Euro 2012. Belgium currently leads Turkey by one point for second place, but they have played one more match than the Turks.
While Turkey may gave been more successful recently, Belgium has a slew of exciting young talent and an underrated group of established professionals. Vincent Kompany was one of the English Premier League's best defenders and if Thomas Vermaelen is healthy, he would form a fantastic pairing in the center of the defense. Add in Daniel Van Buyten and Belgium are plenty solid at the back. Up top are two of the best young forwards in the world, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard, while Axel Witsel gives them a bright young midfielder.
Even if Belgium is the country producing great young talent, Turkey is the team with plenty of talent, period. They were surprise semifinalists at Euro 2008 and have Arda Turan, Hamit Altintop and Semih Senturk in their ranks so there is quality in the team. If they can get three points against Belgium, they will be in a good position to finish in second place considering they would be up on Belgium with a match in hand and they get Germany at home, while the Belgians have to play them in Dusseldorf.
Portugal vs. Norway- Saturday, 4:00 pm ET
For several years now there has been this idea floating around that Portugal is an elite team in the world. The question is, why? Sure, they made it to the knockout stages of the World Cup last year, but that is a tournament they struggled to qualify for. Right now, they are also struggling to qualify for Euro 2012. They’re sitting on seven points, three behind Norway so if they lose on Saturday they can essentially kiss their chances of winning Group H goodbye.
If they lose on Saturday, Portugal will also have an uphill climb just to make it into second place and a play-off. They will likely find themselves three points behind Denmark, who they have to play in Copenhagen later in qualifying. In short, Portugal is not elite. That doesn't mean they don't have some elite players. With Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani, they have two deadly attacking players, Raul Meireles gives them a top midfielder and there are enough good defenders to be very good. Thanks to strange tactics and a lack of cohesion, Portugal don't play very well though and are in danger of missing out on next summer's Euros.
For Norway, it’s all about the back line and defense. They’ve given up just three goals in four matches of qualifying so far thanks to Brede Hangeland and John Arne Riise in the back. The pairing makes them extremely difficult to play against and they’ve rode that pairing to the top of the group table. A win against Portugal and they will just about seal up a spot in Euro, a massive accomplishment for a team that hasn’t qualified for a major tournament since Euro 2000.
Elsewhere
It's a poor weekend for matches so there isn't a ton more to talk about. Germany can get very close to qualification with an expected win over Austria and France can do the same by dispatching Belarus. If France takes care of business and defeats Belarus, the winner of the Bosnia and Herzegovina and Romania match will have the door open to slide into second place of Group D. In Group G, a Montenegro win over Bulgaria can put the pressure on England to get a win and cement their spot in the top two.
England play Switzerland in a key Group G match, one that will have its own detailed preview here at SB Nation.
See More:
