Ukraine is on the verge of qualifying for its first World Cup and becoming the first European team to join host Germany [Images] in next year's championship.

But star striker Andriy Shevchenko and his teammates will have to play in front of empty stands.

Saturday's qualifier against Georgia will be played in an empty stadium in Tblisi. FIFA ordered Georgia to play its two remaining group games behind closed doors because fans threw fireworks onto the field during qualifying matches against Greece and Turkey.

Shevchenko, an AC Milan star, is used to playing in front of 80,000 fans for his Italian club. The Ukraine captain said he doesn't like the idea of playing at an empty venue but would make the most of the occasion.

"This is the decisive match for us, and we are going to finish it in victory," he said.

Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, which has never qualified for a major championship, is unbeaten in nine qualifying games (seven wins and two draws) and holds a seven-point lead over Turkey in Group 2. European champions Greece are a point further behind, with Denmark in fourth.

By beating Georgia, Ukraine would qualify with two games to spare. Meanwhile, powerhouse teams such as Italy [Images], France [Images], Spain, England [Images] and the Netherlands still have plenty of work to do.

"I have dreamt of playing in the World Cup, and the earlier we can win our path to Germany the better," Shevchenko said.

Turkey has to beat Denmark at home and hope Ukraine loses.

"We don't have the luxury to lose," said Turkey coach Fatih Terim, whose team will be left to fight for the group runner-up spot with Greece and Denmark.

Only the eight group winners and top two runners-up are guaranteed of making it to the June 9-July 9 finals in Germany. The other six runners-up go into playoffs to decide the final three spots in the 32-team tournament.

Three-time champions Italy could be the next European team through the qualification door.

Marcello Lippi's side goes to Scotland with a four-point lead in Group 5. The second- and third-place teams, Slovenia and Norway, face each other.

With another round of games to follow next Wednesday, Lippi's team could wind up six points clear with just two games to go. That would all but clinch a place in the finals for the 12th time in a row.

Since a surprise 1-0 loss at Slovenia, Italy has improved. Despite the long-term absence of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon with a shoulder injury, Lippi is confident of a shutout victory at Hampden Park.

"In the past few months, our national team has changed mentality and has regained trust in our ability," he said.      England has away games against Wales on Saturday and Northern Ireland on Wednesday as it chases group leader Poland, which hosts Austria and then Wales.

Poland and England are easily the strongest teams in Group 6. Provided they keep winning, it's likely both will qualify directly before they meet at Old Trafford on October 12.

But Sven-Goran Eriksson's England is coming off a 4-1 loss to Denmark in a friendly. The Swedish coach, who is under fire from the English media, badly needs to respond with victories in Cardiff and Belfast.

"I don't think I will lose my job because of a result of a friendly game," said Eriksson, who has a record of 16 victories, four ties and no losses in qualifying matches. "If I'm going to lose my job it is because of a qualification game, a World Cup or whatever it is, but not a friendly game."

Portugal can go five points clear at the top of Group 3 by beating last-place and pointless Luxembourg at home on   Saturday. Second-place Slovakia doesn't play.

While Portugal, Italy and England are in a strong position to qualify, 1998 champion France is struggling in fourth place in a tightly contested Group 4.

France hosts last-place Faeroe Islands on Saturday with Zinedine Zidane [Images], Lilian Thuram and Claude Makelele making their return to the national side after coming out of international retirement.

Although the French have played a game less than group leader Ireland, they have three points to make up.

Second-place Switzerland [Images] is a point behind Ireland and hosts third-place Israel, which is trying to qualify for the first time since 1970.

The Netherlands and Czech Republic are neck-and-neck at the top of Group 1, with one point separating them, and don't play each other until Oct. 8. On Saturday, the Dutch should win at Armenia, while the Czechs have a tricky away game against third-place Romania.

Because Spain has the day off, Serbia-Montenegro has the chance to jump to the top of Group 7 by beating third-place Lithuania. In Group 8, leader Croatia goes to Iceland while second-place Sweden, one point behind, hosts Bulgaria.

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