FYR Macedonia - Croatia

Within Touching Distance For Croatia

Croatia need one point from their two remaining Group E games to qualify; FYR Macedonia can finish no higher (or lower) than fifth. So the incentive is all with Croatia, and so is the momentum: Slaven Bilic's side are unbeaten in this campaign, having won eight and drawn two of their ten games to date.

They can get the point they need in Skopje on Saturday or at Wembley on Wednesday, but it seems inconceivable they will miss out now, having put themselves in such a strong position. They go into this game three points ahead of second-placed England, who have played a game more, and five ahead of second-placed Russia, and they will want to qualify as Group winners.

Impressive Bilic

The tactically shrewd and highly articulate Bilic (pictured) was the key defender in Croatia's "golden" period of 1994-1998, and a vital member of their World Cup bronze-medal winning squad in France '98.

After his illustrious playing career (Hajduk Split, Karlsruher, West Ham, Everton and back to Hajduk Split), Bilic - who has a law degree and played in heavy metal band called Rawbau - managed the Croatia under-21 football team with Aljoša Asanović during the qualification rounds for the European Under-21 Football Championship of 2006. They topped their group but missed out on the finals after losing a two-legged play-off to Serbia and Montenegro while Bilic was in hospital undergoing back surgery.

He was the unanimous choice to succeed Zlatko Kranjčar as national team boss, taking over on July 25, 2006. With assistants including Asanović, Robert Prosinečki, Nikola Jurčević and Marijan Mrmić, Bilic took the team to Russia for their first official game under his management and earned a goalless draw in what was the opening game in this campaign.

He remains unbeaten as manager in competitive matches, following up that point in Moscow with five straight victories - Andorra 7-0 (h), England 2-0 (h), Israel 4-3 (a), FYR Macedonia 2-1 (h) and Estonia 1-0 (a). The return with Russia in Zagreb also ended 0-0, since when Croatia have beaten Estonia 2-0 (h), Andorra 6-0 (a) and Israel 1-0 (h).

The Russian Factor

Croatia would already be qualified had Russia not turned the tables on England so dramatically in the last 20 minutes of their clash in Moscow last month. That 2-1 Russian victory meant Croatia needed a further point to make sure.

And it also meant that Russia rather than England - whom Anglophile Bilic had been backing - now look likely to qualify with Croatia. Russia require a win in Tel-Aviv to overtake second-placed England, and would then merely need to beat whipping-boys Andorra, so qualification is firmly in their own hands.

Russia's Dutch coach Guus Hiddink has said that a Russian defeat in Israel on Saturday is "impossible." Israel might still have something to say about that, but the experienced Hiddink said: "I'm calm. A victory over Israel would practically secure our qualification. After all our hard work, a defeat in Israel is simply impossible."

While Russia conclude their campaign in Andorra on Wednesday, Croatia will be playing against England at Wembley. If FYR Macedonia pull off a shock in Skopje and become the first team to beat Bilic's team in this campaign, Croatia will need at least point off Steve McClaren's side.

Mid-Table Macedonians

As for FYR Macedonia, they have won three, drawn two and lost five of their ten games so far in Group E. They've beaten Andorra twice, along with everybody else, but lost five out of six games against the teams above them in this Group. The exception was a 0-0 draw away to England that has ultimately inflicted significant damage on the Three Lions' campaign.

Srecko Katanec's side will finish fifth unless they can beat Croatia on Saturday while Russia beat Israel, then earn an away win in Tel-Aviv themselves on Wednesday. That unlikely trio of results would ensure that FYR Macedonia finish fifth.