UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group G team guides
Sunday, February 23, 2014
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UEFA European Championship veterans Russia and Sweden will start as firm favourites to emerge from a section also containing Austria, Montenegro, Moldova and Liechtenstein.
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Russia
Since the break-up of the Soviet Union – the inaugural winners of the UEFA European Championship, in 1960, and runners-up in 1964, 1972 and 1988 – Russia have been regular qualifiers for the four-yearly continental gathering, but only once have they made it through the group stage, reaching the 2008 last four.
Sweden
Debutants Sweden reached the UEFA European Championship semi-finals on home turf in 1992, losing 3-2 to Germany. It was not until 2000 that they successfully negotiated qualifying to reach the final tournament, yet the Blågult have been ever-presents since, exiting UEFA EURO 2004 unbeaten having lost 5-4 on penalties to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
Austria
Austria have featured in seven FIFA World Cups, the last of them at France '98, but just one at the UEFA European Championship – as co-hosts in 2008 when they endured group stage elimination after losing to Germany.
Montenengro
Montenegro reached the qualifying play-offs of UEFA EURO 2012 on their competition debut, securing a pair of draws with England in the process.
Moldova
Their most memorable streak of form came at the end of the UEFA EURO 2008 campaign when they claimed ten points from their last four games, including wins against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Hungary.
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein have been involved in major competition since 1994 but in ten qualifying campaigns have only once succeeded in avoiding bottom place in their group. That was in the 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign, when they did the double over Luxembourg and accumulated a final tally of eight points – their best haul to date.
