England produced a mediocre performance to play out a goalless stalemate with Israel away from home in the Euro 2008 qualifiers on Saturday. The draw piles more pressure on England coach Steve McClaren, who couldn't deliver convincing results and displays since succeeding Sven Goran Eriksson after the 2006 World Cup. Neither sides were able to threat in the first-half while England had a Jamie Carragher header denied by the bar nine minutes past the hour mark. Micah Richards and Jermain Defoe scored three times late in the match but their efforts were ruled out for offside. In the other group games, Croatia edged Macedonia 2-1, thanks to goals from Dario Srna and Da Silva Eduardo while Russia beat Estonia 2-0. England lie third in Group E with eight points, three short of second-placed Russia and four behind leaders Croatia. In Group B, France needed a late Nicolas Anelka strike to grab a hard-fought 1-0 away win over Lithuania. The Bolton Wanderers striker scored the winner in the 73rd minute when he hit a right-footed shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
France beat Lithuania Scotland kept up their impressive run with a 2-1 home win over Georgia in coach Alex McLeish's debut. Kris Boyd's opener for Scotland early in the 11th minute was cancelled out by Shota Arveladze's strike four minutes before the break. Substitute Craig Beattie sealed the precious victory one minute from time. Scotland are on top of the group with 12 points, ahead of second-placed France on goal difference. In Group C, Turkey stormed back to crush European champions Greece 4-1 at home and go three points clear on top. Sotirios Kyrgiakos put Greece ahead as early as the fifth minute but Turkey responded with four goals from Tuncay Sanli, Gokhan Unal, Tumer Metin and Gokdeniz Karadeniz. Turkey are in charge of the group with 12 points, three ahead of Greece.
