LONDON (Reuters):

ITALY AND France, who met in the World Cup final 16 months ago, advanced to next year's European championship finals yesterday thanks to Italy's injury-time 2-1 win over Scotland in Glasgow.

Christian Panucci's header sent world champions Italy through, ending Scotland's hopes in the process and meaning that France qualify for the finals whatever happens in their last game against Ukraine on Wednesday.

The Netherlands, Poland and Croatia also booked trips to the finals in Austria and Switzerland yesterday.

Late drama

There was late drama in Tel Aviv, where Omer Golan scored in stoppage time to give Israel an upset 2-1 win over Russia.

The result sent Croatia through, despite a 2-0 defeat in Macedonia.

Israel's win was also a great result for England, who began the day praying for a Russian slip-up and now need only a point from their home game with Croatia on Wednesday to secure a place in the finals. They could still top the group.

Poland qualified from Group A thanks to a 2-0 home win over Belgium after Euzebiuz Smolarek scored either side of half-time. It is the first time Poland have reached a European cham-pionship finals.

The Netherlands advanced from Group G alongside Romania despite managing only a 1-0 home win over Luxembourg courtesy of Danny Koevermans's first-half strike. Turkey are also now well placed after their impressive 2-1 comeback win in Norway that lifted them above the Scandinavians into second place in Group C behind already-qualified Greece.

The Turks will go through if they win their last game, at home to Bosnia while Greece, surprise champions in 2004, hammered Malta 5-0 with a hat-trick for Theofanis Gekas and goals by Angelos Basinas and Ioannis Amanatidis.