Conference trucks::football;1

    Group contains
    
       Slovenia           
       Estonia            
       Lithuania          
       Croatia            
       Ukraine            
       Italy 

>>>>            <<< Note 344.1 by GALVIA::SPAIN "signed long gary();" >>>

         Group contains
    
          Slovenia           
          Estonia            
          Lithuania          
          Croatia            
          Ukraine            
          Italy 


         Had Russia been drawn in this group it would have been very 
       interesting politically.

    Pred:
    1. Italy
    2. Ukraine
    3. Lithuania
    4. Slovenia
    5. Croatia
    6. Estonia
    
    heiko

    
    Slovenia - Italy  1 - 1  (..but it should have been  2 - 1)
     

I heard Croatia beat Estonia - anyone know the score???

Jack.

    
    Italy Croatia   1 2   

    >Italy Croatia 1 2
    
    That's a joke, right?!

                     <<< Note 344.7 by CHEFS::STRATFORDS >>>

    >Italy Croatia 1 2
    
    >>That's a joke, right?!
    
    
    Eh.... no. The score is right. 
    
    Looks like the world cup finalists have a bit of a hangover.

    
    YES for sure 
    
    ..it could have been  0 4, but we was very lucky.
    
    

Croatia aren't a bad side. Most of the old Yugoslavians play for them
(Prosinecki, Boksic, Boban, Binic, etc.)

Italy always seem to struggle to qualify these days. They didn't make the last
Euros, and got beat by Switzerland in the World qualifiers.

Mike

    So far Croatia have played three and won three. They looked by far the
    better side last night. Granted, I was standing twenty feet away from a
    22" telly drinking and talking and celebrating the Irish win, but every
    time I looked up the Croatians had the ball !   The Italian goal came
    from a Baggio header in the last minute.
    
    And, as Mike said, with household names like Prosinecki, Boksic, Boban
    and Binic in the squad you'ld have to fancy their chances ;-)
    
    Jerry.

    re. -2
    To say that "Croatia aren't a bad side" is something of an
    understatement. I think they're potentially one of the world's top 4-5
    teams! 
    
    Just look at the clubs their players come from: Milan, Juventus, Lazio,
    Hadjuk Split, Salzburg, Seville. Players like Prosinecki, Jarni, Boksic
    (in my opinion the world's best centre forward...and by the way, he
    wasn't playing last night!), Jerkan and Boban would grace most teams.
    In fact, Croatia have now played 7 international fixtures without
    defeat, and they've also managed AWAY wins against Italy and Spain!
    
    I only saw the highlights of last night's game, but apparently, the
    Croatian keeper never had a shot to save. Baggio, Sacchi, Costacurta
    and Casiraghi looked pretty shellshocked when interviewed after the
    defeat.
    
    Dom   

>>>>I only saw the highlights of last night's game, but apparently, the
>>>>Croatian keeper never had a shot to save.

Apart from the one that went in, I suppose. 8-)

I too think that Croatia will be a good team, but they won't be top four in the
world. Not now England have got a proper manager. 8-)

Mike

    
    Well after my boss was offered a Pizza Bulgaria (Pizza with red and
    green peppers) after Germany were ditched in the WC, tonight he has
    just one culinary delight on his mind.
    
    Pizza Cevapcici !!!!!
    
    Dezzz.
    

A little warning for AC Milan:

Croatia's forwards has been for some time in this Match:
Jurcevic,Mladenovic (both Austria Salzburg)

Heribert 

    Italy's squad for the game against the Ukraine in Kiev is causing a
    fair amount of controversy, mainly because of the exclusion of Vialli,
    probably the most in-form forward in Serie A at the moment (foreigners
    excluded). Public opinion is pretty divided, but many think that much
    of the blame for Vialli's absence can be placed on the Milan players in
    the squad (Maldini, Albertini, Donadoni, Eranio, etc.)
    
    That said, Costacurta has been dropped and there's no place for two
    other Milan players, Panucci and Simone. Baggio and Signori are out
    through injury, and they've just been joined by Pagliuca (goalkeeper)
    and Crippa (midfield) after the team's first training session!
    
    All in all, a bit of a worrying time for Arrigo Sacchi... 
    
    Dom

    so what is the full squad?
    
    William

    Hmmm, bit of a tall order, that.
    
    Well, going from memory, the following are definitely in the squad:
    
    G: Peruzzi, Bucci
    D: Maldini, Apolloni, Minotti, Benarrivo, Negri
    M: D. Baggio, Eranio, Lombardo, Albertini, Conte, Di Matteo
    A: Zola, Casiraghi, Ravanelli, Del Piero
    
    ...and about 3-4 others
                  
    Dom
    

Ravanelli?

This Italian team doesn't look nearly as good as the ones of recent years.

Mike

    Agreed. Then again, if you look at the team that played in the last
    World Cup, Massaro, Tassotti and Baresi have retired from international 
    football, Costacurta, Casiraghi and Mussi are having difficulty getting into
    their club sides, and Signori, Pagliuca and Baggio are all injured (in
    the case of the latter, it's more a question of "sorry - I don't feel
    like playing today".
    
    Ravanelli might seem to be a strange choice, in that he's your classic
    anti-hero (grey hair and flat feet), but he deos seem to be doing the
    business in the league. His ball control isn't up to much (no worse
    than Vialli, mind), but he does have an uncanny knack of getting on the
    end of everything. Reminds me a bit of West Ham's famous baldy Pop
    Robson, come to think of it (ooops, showing my age there!)
    
    Incidentally, there's a statistical analysis company here called "Top
    11" who select the best eleven players from the Serie A each week, on
    the basis of TV/newspaper ratings. At this point in the season, the Top
    11 features no less than 6 foreigners...which goes some way towards
    explaining Sacchi's difficulties. Top of the averages is Alen Boksic of
    Lazio.
    
    Dom

    
    Well, if this is the best 11 Italy can put together (Baggio's absence
    excused) then I can't see them being much of a threat. If it wasn't for
    Zola, Albertini and Maldini then a narrow victory or even a draw could
    have been the result. Zolas WAS very good. Any international team
    getting this type of service in the penealty area would have been
    overjoyed. Ravenelli was more than useless. It's a good thing he didn't
    get his foot near the 4th goal otherwise it would have been even more
    embarrising for him. Eranio, Del Piero, Lombardo, Berti, Negro weren't
    much better. The Estonians hardly got out of their own half but time
    after time Italy lost it or Zola got it, skinned a few down the wing ,
    crossed it and somebody fluffed.
    
    Fortunately, Maldini stopped more or less everything that came the
    Italians way and Albertini played some terrific incisive through balls.
    
    Italy will HAVE to do better than this....Croatia will have this group
    won before Italy know where they are...
    
    Zola scored 2 , Albertini and Ravelelli the others. The Estonian goal
    was from a free kick that was 'granted'.. stupidly given away by Maldini.
    
    Dezzz.   
                                            

    Agreed, Dezz. It was getting really embarassing for Italy until Zola
    put them ahead at the end of the first half. Zola was excellent, and I
    hope he keeps his place; quite honestly, I think he's every bit as
    talented as Baggio, has a better work rate, and is less of a primadonna
    too.
    
    I don't think Estonia are really any better than San Marino, so this
    result is anything but convincing. In fact, the Estonian goal was their
    first in international football after 3 years of trying! It was scored
    by a certain Krem who'd just come in as substitute for a certain Krem
    ;-). However, I felt for Sacchi at the end; he's always very sporting
    regardless of the result, and the press were giving him a hard time
    (just for a change). He criticised their overreaction, saying that if an
    Italian club side had "only" beaten an Estonian club side 4-1 in the UEFA 
    Cup, no one would have batted an eyelid. I suppose he's got a point too.
    
    >Ravenelli was more than useless. It's a good thing he didn't
    >get his foot near the 4th goal otherwise it would have been even more
    >embarrising for him.
    
    I'm not with you; didn't he put it in with his foot? I must have been
    dozing...
    
    Dom

	Croatia   2 
	Slovenia  0

Jack.

    Croatia 1 - 1 Italy
    (Suker, pen)  (Albertini)
    
    
    Unfortunately, the game petered out totally in the second half after a
    promising start. Italy had their keeper, Bucci, sent off after 10
    minutes and he was replaced by Toldo (international debut). They then
    surprisingly went ahead after about 25 minutes through a great shot
    from Albertini. Croatia pressed hard for the rest of the half, but
    didn't equalise until three minutes into the second; a penalty from
    Suker after a foul on Boksic.
    
    After that it was a case of Croatia keeping possession (the draw suited
    them fine) ans a 10-man Italy not having the means to take the game to
    Croatia.
    
    Dom

    what happened in the italy v croatia game on sunday? news travels slow
    to this footballing backwater?
    
    .. and are croatia going to be allowed to actually enter the competition
    i read something that said they might not due to the war.
    
    regards
    
    Andrew.D.Wicks

    Italy played *Ukraine* last Saturday (not Croatia). The game finished
    3-1 to Italy, but they had a bit of a fright after going a goal down. 
    
    Dom

    and tonight a 4-0 win for forza italia who failed by one goal to win
    the grop from croatia who won their final game 2-1.
    
    andrew
    

    Slovenia 1 - 2 Croatia
    Italy    4 - 0 Lithuania
    
    
    Final Table
    -----------
    
               P   W  D  L  F   A   Pts
    Croatia    10  7  2  1  22  5   23
    Italy      10  7  2  1  20  6   23
    Lithuania  10  5  1  4  13  12  16
    Ukraine    10  4  1  5  11  15  13
    Slovenia   10  3  2  5  13  13  11
    Estonia    10  0  0  10  3  31   0
    
    
    
    Gary