London: England are tantalisingly close to sealing a place at Euro 2012 and intend to clear the last hurdle in Montenegro today by going all out for victory despite needing just a point in their final Group G qualifier in Podgorica.
Fabio Capello's unbeaten side needs only to avoid defeat to join the 2012 party in Ukraine and Poland but an untimely slip-up in the tiny Balkan state would leave them relying on help from Switzerland next week.
Until Montenegro lost to Wales last month they were England's equals in the group and while that defeat has left them looking at a play-off instead, two wins in their last two games would topple Capello's men from first place via a better head-to-head record.
Capello, still tarnished by England's shambolic World Cup failure last year, said he would on Friday adopt the same attacking policy that has been rewarded with a 100 per cent away record in qualifying.
The Italian has selected five strikers in his squad with Wayne Rooney likely to be partnered up front by Darren Bent, Andy Carroll or even Manchester United's in-form youngster Danny Welbeck.
"We are going for a win, not for a draw," Capello said.
"If you play for a draw it is a big mistake because you are playing to defend the result.
"When you do that you make some silly mistakes. You need to play the same style as all the other away games."
Montenegro, in their first campaign as an independent nation, are guaranteed at least a play-off should they beat England and third-placed Switzerland fail to defeat Wales.
The Montenegrins have already drawn 0-0 at Wembley and had Milan Jovanovic's effort gone in rather than rattling the crossbar that day, they could have been in the driving seat for the return.
Montenegro conceded plenty of possession at Wembley but were superbly disciplined and dangerous on the break.
Goalkeeper Mladen Bozovic said a similar level of performance would have to be reached if they were to have a chance of sending England home empty-handed.
"We were under no pressure to get a result at Wembley, we were beaming with confidence ahead of the 0-0 draw after winning our opening three games, but it's a very different situation now," he told Montenegrin media.
‘We have to deliver'
"We have to deliver now because we are in contention for a play-off berth and we need to perform well against England and in our final match in Switzerland.
"With a bit of luck we can score and then anything can happen. England are a great team full of world class players but we are hoping they will underestimate us," Bozovic added.
"We have nothing to fear.We are aware it will probably go down to the wire, meaning that our final group match in Switzerland will be decisive," the Montenegrin goalkeeper said.
Teams
Montenegro: Mladen Bozovic, Savo Pavicevic, Milan Jovanovic, Stefan Savic, Elsad Zverotic, Simon Vukcevic, Milorad Pekovic, Nikola Drincic, Stevan Jovetic, Radomir Djalovic, Mirko Vucinic England: Joe Hart, Micah Richards, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Ashley Cole; James Milner, Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Young, Darren Bent, Wayne Rooney.
— Reuters
Fabio Capello's unbeaten side needs only to avoid defeat to join the 2012 party in Ukraine and Poland but an untimely slip-up in the tiny Balkan state would leave them relying on help from Switzerland next week.
Until Montenegro lost to Wales last month they were England's equals in the group and while that defeat has left them looking at a play-off instead, two wins in their last two games would topple Capello's men from first place via a better head-to-head record.
Capello, still tarnished by England's shambolic World Cup failure last year, said he would on Friday adopt the same attacking policy that has been rewarded with a 100 per cent away record in qualifying.
The Italian has selected five strikers in his squad with Wayne Rooney likely to be partnered up front by Darren Bent, Andy Carroll or even Manchester United's in-form youngster Danny Welbeck.
"We are going for a win, not for a draw," Capello said.
"If you play for a draw it is a big mistake because you are playing to defend the result.
"When you do that you make some silly mistakes. You need to play the same style as all the other away games."
Montenegro, in their first campaign as an independent nation, are guaranteed at least a play-off should they beat England and third-placed Switzerland fail to defeat Wales.
The Montenegrins have already drawn 0-0 at Wembley and had Milan Jovanovic's effort gone in rather than rattling the crossbar that day, they could have been in the driving seat for the return.
Montenegro conceded plenty of possession at Wembley but were superbly disciplined and dangerous on the break.
Goalkeeper Mladen Bozovic said a similar level of performance would have to be reached if they were to have a chance of sending England home empty-handed.
"We were under no pressure to get a result at Wembley, we were beaming with confidence ahead of the 0-0 draw after winning our opening three games, but it's a very different situation now," he told Montenegrin media.
‘We have to deliver'
"We have to deliver now because we are in contention for a play-off berth and we need to perform well against England and in our final match in Switzerland.
"With a bit of luck we can score and then anything can happen. England are a great team full of world class players but we are hoping they will underestimate us," Bozovic added.
"We have nothing to fear.We are aware it will probably go down to the wire, meaning that our final group match in Switzerland will be decisive," the Montenegrin goalkeeper said.
Teams
Montenegro: Mladen Bozovic, Savo Pavicevic, Milan Jovanovic, Stefan Savic, Elsad Zverotic, Simon Vukcevic, Milorad Pekovic, Nikola Drincic, Stevan Jovetic, Radomir Djalovic, Mirko Vucinic England: Joe Hart, Micah Richards, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Ashley Cole; James Milner, Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Young, Darren Bent, Wayne Rooney.
— Reuters
