England, Italy one win away from Euro 2020
Spain, Belgium, Russia can also book their places in this international break
England and Italy are closing in on qualification for Euro 2020 as the two countries' talented young squads search for the single win that would guarantee them a place at a landmark tournament with matches to spare.
The pair are two of five teams that can qualify for next summer's tournament in the coming round of matches, held from Friday morning (Singapore time) to Sunday. Spain and Group I rivals Belgium and Russia can also lock up an early place.
With two teams qualifying from each of the 10 groups, England need just a win at the Czech Republic on Saturday morning to ensure qualification from the five-team Group A after a perfect run of four victories from four that has put Gareth Southgate's side four points clear of third-placed Kosovo, who have played a game more.
Southgate has built on taking England to the semi-finals of last year's World Cup, with his side scoring 19 goals in a dominant qualification campaign.
The England manager has been helped by the blossoming of Raheem Sterling who, after scoring four goals in his first 47 England appearances, has racked up six in his last six.
Southgate has also capitalised on the emergence of young players such as West Ham United's Declan Rice, 20, and 19-year-old Jadon Sancho, who bagged his first England goals in the 5-3 win over Kosovo last time and is a mainstay for Borussia Dortmund.
Young Chelsea trio Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham are the latest players to be rewarded by Southgate for their impressive club displays, with Mount and the English Premier League's joint-leading scorer Abraham among the revelations of the early-season fixtures.
Roberto Mancini meanwhile has continued his rebuilding of Italy while collecting six wins from six in Group J.
His youthful Azzurri have a chance of booking their ticket against Greece on Sunday morning.
They need to beat the Greeks at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome and hope that third-placed Armenia fail to beat rock-bottom Liechtenstein, who have conceded 19 goals so far.
Regardless, Italy are almost guaranteed a place in the Euros as they are nine points ahead of Armenia with four matches remaining.
If they fail this time, they will have a second chance later in this international break, when they visit Liechtenstein next Tuesday.
Former Inter Milan and Manchester City boss Mancini has taken the broom to the side that failed to qualify for the World Cup and thrown his trust behind young talent like Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, highly rated Roma attacker Nicolo Zaniolo and AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Zaniolo, 20, is back in contention after being put on an enforced exile with Moise Kean for bad behaviour during the Under-21 Euros on home turf.
Also in contention to qualify during this window are Spain, who need a win at Norway, and hope the Faroe Islands to nick a result over Romania to book their place.
Belgium and Russia meanwhile both want a draw between Kazakhstan and Cyprus on Friday morning before they search for wins over San Marino and Scotland that would seal their qualification. - AFP
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