Group 8: Tallinn task for Croatia

By Margus Luik

Croatia travel to Estonia while Belgium welcome Andorra on a busy night in qualifying Group 8.

Busy evening
With group leaders Bulgaria out of action on Wednesday, the onus is on the chasing pack to get results in the evening's UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifiers. And with Estonia, Croatia and Belgium contesting second place at the moment, a lot could change by the end of the evening.

Estonian worries
Boosted by back-to-back 2-0 wins against Andorra, Estonia currently occupy second place but much could change as they face Croatia, who are just a point behind them with a game in hand. To make matters worse, coach Arno Pijpers is suffering something of an injury crisis.

Injured players
Team captain Martin Reim and winger Kert Haavistu have already been ruled out, while doubts still linger over Andres Oper, Urmas Rooba and Sergei Terehhov, who have been spending time in the pool rather than on the training pitch as they aim to recover from minor injuries.

Pijpers' poser
Oper and Rooba returned to full training on Tuesday, but Pijpers remains uneasy about their prospects. "I always prefer players, who are fully fit," he said. "First of all, I don't want to risk their health and secondly, I don't want to make early substitutions if the injuries suddenly reoccur."

Viikmäe suspended
Estonia will also be without the suspended Kristen Viikmäe and goalkeeper Sergei Pareiko who has returned to Russia to play a league game with SC Rotor Volgograd.

'We are not crazy'
Croatia coach Otto Baric was hoping for a more open game in Tallinn than the goalless draw between the two sides at the start of their campaign, but Pijpers did not anticipate that. "We know the strength of Croatia and Baric probably realises that we are not crazy enough to do that," said the Dutchman.

Tough task
With their opponents having conceded just one goal in their qualifying campaign so far, Croatia know to expect a tough game. Question marks still hang over forwards Tomislav Maric, Dado Prso and Ivica Olic - Maric has chest problems while the latter pair both left training early on Monday - and the absence of defender Igor Tudor through suspension is also a major blow.

Baric optimistic
However, Baric remained bullishly optimistic, saying: "They are a good team but we are better. We will go into the game with respect but also with a great desire to win. We must dominate in midfield, we must play like a team and be superior in that part of play."

Belgium challenge
Whatever the result in Tallinn, Belgium look likely to feel the benefit. Currently fourth in the group, level on points with Croatia but having played a game more, a draw between Estonia and Croatia could allow Belgium to climb into second place by the end of the evening.

Striking trio
A win against Andorra would leave them a point behind Bulgaria with ten points, but goals are a necessity in Gent's Ottenstadion as coach Aimé Anthuenis aims to restore some confidence to his side. The coach was aiming to play with a three-pronged strike force of Thomas Buffel, Wesley Sonck and Emile Mpenza, but with Mpenza suffering a back injury in training on Monday that could now be in doubt.

Mpenza doubts
"I made a wrong move and immediately felt a pain in my back," explained Mpenza. Antheunis added: "The doctor told me Wednesday's match might come too soon to get him fit again. But I will wait until the last moment before I will decide anything."

Additional reporting by Elvir Islamovic and Berend Scholten