Internationals: Setting the scene

NEWS 8 hours

The latest round of qualifying matches for Euro 2016 has finished, while those African nations vying for a spot in January’s Cup of Nations are in action again this evening.

The situation is altogether clearer in South America for next summer’s Copa America, as it for the European Under-21 Championships following the conclusion of qualifying last night.

Here, the official Chelsea website provides a comprehensive review of how our players’ nations are faring on the international scene…

EURO 2016 QUALIFYING

For the next European Championships, held in France, the number of participating teams will increase to 24.

The hosts will be joined by those teams finishing first and second in the nine qualifying groups as well as the best third-placed team (with results against the team finishing bottom in each group not counted). The other eight teams that finish third will enter a two-legged play-off to determine the final four qualifiers for the finals.
 

Belgium – Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois

The Red Devils have got off to a strong start in qualifying, hitting Andorra for six and earning a creditable 1-1 draw in Bosnia on Monday evening in what on paper looks their toughest assignment in Group B, certainly in terms of FIFA rankings.

They host Wales, who currently sit top, in Brussels next month. Their next qualifiers, in March, are at home to Cyprus and away in Israel, the other team currently above them in qualifying after wins in Cyprus and Andorra.

Czech Republic – Petr Cech

It has been nothing short of a wonderful start to qualifying for the Czech Republic, who continued their unblemished record in Group A with a pair of fine away wins in Turkey and Kazakhstan either side of the weekend, having opened their account with a home victory over the Netherlands.

Petr Cech has been a crucial presence in all three games and will be looking to take part in his fourth European Championships. Iceland, who came close to qualifying for this year’s World Cup, have yet to concede a goal in their wins at home to Turkey and the Netherlands and away to Latvia.

Two of the Czechs’ next three games are against Iceland and in what feels a very open group those matches are likely to prove pivotal, though the World Cup semi-finalists Holland find themselves in real trouble after two defeats in their first three games.

England – Gary Cahill

In a qualifying campaign that has thus far seen shock defeats for Portugal, Spain, Germany and the aforementioned Netherlands, England’s route to the top of Group E has been routine. Three wins out of three, eight goals scored and none conceded has the Three Lions in a very strong position.

Home victories in their next two games – against second and third-placed Slovenia and Lithuania respectively – will all but guarantee their qualification.

France – Loic Remy

As hosts, France do not need to qualify but recent friendly wins against Spain – when Remy scored the winner - and Portugal suggest Les Bleus are building on the strong outings they showed at the World Cup. Remy also scored last night in beating Armenia. They have further friendlies at home to Albania and Sweden next month.

Germany – Andre Schurrle

It has been far from plain sailing for the world champions so far. Germany have a win, a loss and a draw from their opening three games, denied victory at the death by the Republic of Ireland last night having lost to neighbours Poland on Saturday evening.

Forthcoming matches against Gibraltar and Georgia offer attainable points in Group D, though, and it would still be a huge shock if Germany weren’t competing at Euro 2016.

Serbia – Branislav Ivanovic, Nemanja Matic

Group I, the only group of five teams, includes Serbia and our pair of Branislav Ivanovic, their captain, and Nemanja Matic.

This is a very tight group. Albania have already won in Portugal and held Denmark, while Armenia were just a couple of minutes away from defeating Serbia in Yerevan and were unlucky to lose in Copenhagen.

The abandonment of last night’s fixture between Serbia and Albania, their first meeting since 1967, will further complicate matters with UEFA set to investigate. 

Spain – Cesar Azpilicueta, Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa

Holders Spain have crushed minnows Macedonia and Luxembourg but a loss to in-form Slovakia suggests they still have work to do as they recover from their group-stage exit at the World Cup.

They host Belarus and Ukraine next and six points from those two games will leave our Spanish trio in a very strong position in Group C.
 

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS 2015 QUALIFYING

Qualifying for January’s tournament has been squeezed into three rounds of matches with two games taking place in each. Teams have been split into seven groups of four with the top two teams from each group, plus the best third-placed team, qualifying for the finals alongside hosts Morocco.

Teams tied on points in the group are separated first by points obtained in games between the two nations concerned, and then by goal difference.

Late last week, the government of Morocco submitted a request to CAF, African football’s governing body, to postpone the tournament because of the outbreak of Ebola in that continent. CAF responded by saying there had never been a deferral in Cup of Nations’ history and the matter will be discussed in early November.  

Egypt – Mohamed Salah

A place in the finals is precarious for seven-time winners Egypt, who failed to qualify for the most recent tournaments in 2012 and 2013, having become the first side to win three in a row after emerging victorious in 2006, 2008 and 2010.

Group G looks the hardest on paper and Egypt got their qualifying campaign off to the worst possible start with defeats in Senegal and at home to Tunisia. However, victory in Botswana on Friday, a game in which Salah scored, has got the Pharaohs up and running and another win tonight against the same team in Cairo will leave qualification in their own hands. They host Senegal and visit Tunisia next month. Finishing as the best third-placed team is not out of the question, either.

Nigeria – John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Kenneth Omeruo

The holders’ qualifying campaign has begun poorly, with the Nigerians picking up just a solitary point from their opening three matches.

Coach Stephen Keshi is working without a contract while the Nigerian Football Federation only narrowly avoided a CAF ban from participating in qualifying at all.

A surprise home loss to Congo Brazzaville preceded a goalless draw in South Africa, before defeat to Sudan on Saturday left the Super Eagles adrift at the bottom of Group A.

However, all is not lost. Victory against Sudan this evening coupled with either a South Africa win at home to Congo or a draw in the group’s other game today will leave Nigeria’s destiny in their own hands with two to play. Either way, their game with Congo in Pointe-Noire next month looks huge.

Burkina Faso – Bertrand Traore

Bertrand Traore, currently on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, has featured in two of the Burkinabe’s three qualifying matches thus far. They are currently in a strong position on six points, one behind Gabon – who they play tonight – and four ahead of fourth-placed Lesotho. It looks unlikely that the 2013 losing finalists won’t advance to next year’s edition.

Ghana – Christian Atsu

Two points separate the four teams in Group E but a win and two draws from their first three matches has Ghana sitting pretty at the top. Atsu’s late winner in Togo in the second match is beginning to look increasingly significant, but with Guinea and Uganda in hot pursuit of the Black Stars there is still work to be done. Ghana host Guinea today.
 

COPA AMERICA 2015

The 10 CONMEBOL (South America’s football governing body) teams qualify automatically for the Copa America, meaning no competitive matches for our Brazilian contingent until next summer’s tournament in Chile.

The 10 South American teams will be joined by Mexico and debutants Jamaica for the 12-team tournament which starts in June. There is another Copa America in 2016, held in the United States, to celebrate the tournament’s centenary.

Brazil – Oscar, Ramires, Willian, Filipe Luis

Dunga has made an encouraging start to life back as Brazil’s head coach after replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari after the World Cup, with wins against fellow South American nations Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina, and yesterday against Japan.

Next month they have friendlies planned against Turkey in Istanbul and Austria in Vienna.
 

UNDER-21 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015

Held in the Czech Republic, a number of our younger players will be hoping to feature when the Under-21 European Championship gets underway in June.

Yesterday England and Denmark both qualified, though the Netherlands, France and Croatia missed out meaning Nathan Ake, Marco van Ginkel, Kurt Zouma, Stipe Perica, Mario Pasalic and Matej Delac won’t be featuring.

England have included Lewis Baker, Nathaniel Chalobah, Patrick Bamford and Jamal Blackman recently and they will all be hoping to earn a spot in Gareth Southgate’s final squad.

First team squad defender Andreas Christensen will expect to feature for Denmark, while Tomas Kalas is a regular for the Czech’s Under-21 team, who will be keen to make an impression on home soil.