England to play Croatia again in World cup qualifier

England will play Croatia in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, the team that stopped it getting to the 2008 European Championship.

Defending champion Italy, Germany, Spain, Netherlands and European champion Greece all received comparatively easy groups when the qualifying draw was made Sunday, while France is in what looks like the toughest alongside Romania and Serbia.

The 53 European teams were divided into eight groups of six and one of five, and only the winners are sure to go to the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa. The best eight runners up go into playoffs to determine the other four spots.

Croatia beat England twice in qualifying for Euro 2008, and Wednesday's 3-2 victory at Wembley meant the English failed to qualify.

Coach Steve McClaren was fired the following day.

The other teams in World Cup Group 6 are Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra.

France, which won the World Cup in 1998 and was runner up last year, will meet Lithuania, Austria and the Faeroe Islands, as well as Romania and Serbia.

Italy, which won its fourth World Cup last year, will be confident of finishing top against Bulgaria, Ireland, Cyprus, Georgia and Montenegro in Group 8.

Three-time World Cup champion Germany will play Russia, Finland, Wales, Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein in Group 4.

Greece, which defends its European title next year, must play Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia and Luxembourg in Group 2.

Spain, which has never won the World Cup, faces Turkey, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia and Estonia.

Group 1 has Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania and Malta, and Group 3 is Czech Republic, Poland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia and San Marino.

In the only group with five teams, the Netherlands will be pleased to draw Scotland, Norway, Macedonia and Iceland, although the Scots beat France home and away in Euro 2008 qualifying.

Source : Sapa-AP