PARIS, SEPT 7: England travel to Poland tomorrow for what is effectively an eliminator as to who finishes runner-up in their Euro-2000 football Group Five and maintain hopes of making it to next year's finals through the play-offs.The most interesting match is the Group Seven tie in which Romania, inspired by the ageless Gheorghe Hagi, host Portugal. A win for them would wrap up the group and even a draw should suffice as their last match is in Liechtenstein.The Portugese, trailing Romania by a point, only have themselves to blame since what should have been a certain three points in Azerbaijan on Saturday ended with the European giants grabbing an injury-time draw, and allowed Romania to take back the initiative.Elsewhere in Group Four, World champions France, who were unimpressive in the 0-0 draw against Ukraine, must win in Armenia to keep up with Ukraine. Ukraine lead France by a point. Second-placed Russia play Andorra in another Group Four game.For the English, who have been boosted by a 6-0 win over whipping boys Luxembourg on Saturday, it is their last match while Poland could still scrape through with a draw against the visitors and then hope to grab another point away at group winners Sweden in October.The English, who are level on points with the Poles, would finish above them if they get a draw as they won their first tie, have recent history on their side not having been beaten in Poland on their last four visits and having come away with a crucial 2-0 win two years ago, in a World Cup qualifier.England also started coach Kevin Keegan's reign off with a bang against the Poles last year with a 3-1 win so inspite of what a sceptical English press may think it is the Poles who will be feeling the pressure.Certainly Saturday's hat-trick hero Alan Shearer is backing England to turn back the clock and complete another successful raid on Poland. By his own admission Shearer had one of his best games for his country when he scored in the 2-0 win in the 1997 World Cup qualifier.``Wednesday's game will be more difficult, but we are very confident we can get the result we need in Poland. We've done half the job, now we want to finish it,'' Shearer said.The English have injury problems with Liverpool playmaker Jamie Redknapp ruled out and scares over Manchester United star David Beckham, stalwart central defender Tony Adams and impressive debutant Keiron Dyer.Keegan, who has defended Shearer over accusations he was on the decline and said he would pay 15 million pounds for him again just as he did when Newcastle manager, insists he will not play Beckham if the midfielder is not 100 percent fit.``I will not play David Beckham if there's any risk to his long term fitness,'' he said. ``It's not about Manchester United and Alex Ferguson, it's about David Beckham. Look at Michael Owen last time before the home match against Poland, I sent him straight back and we've done it with everybody.''The French, who have really struggled in their last three group ties losing 3-2 to Russia at home, beating Andorra 1-0 thanks to a late penalty and the scoreless draw with Ukraine, will not have it easy in Armenia - as their hosts showed when holding Ukraine 0-0 earlier in the campaign.It is scoring that is proving the World champions Achilles heel and a totally out of sorts Nicolas Anelka could well be dropped for the match after what even the normally self assured 20-year-old admitted was a poor show on Saturday.French captain Didier Deschamps, who has proved a great buy for English premiership side Chelsea, admitted that Anelka, who has not scored for the National side since a marvellous double against England in February, was perhaps not in the right frame of mind to lead the French forward line.``He's still only 20-years-old and needs to mature more,'' Deschamps said. ``He isn't in very good form at the moment and the element of surprise he had when he first became an international has worn off plus now he's usually shadowed by two defenders,'' he added.Ironically two of the players currently under fire from Anelka, his Real Madrid teammates Raul and Fernando Morientes, should have no problems in shooting past Cyprus in their Group Six match despite the Cypriots having cost them three points and then coach Javier Clemente his job last September.The duo, who have been accused by Anelka of deliberately not passing to him just as he accused Dennis Bergkamp and Marc Overmars of doing when he was at Arsenal, should have too much firepower for the Cypriots and assured their side of winning.In Group Eight, Ireland end their hectic run of three matches in a week with what looks like a certain three points in Malta - though injuries and the heat could take its toll.
