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ESPNsoccernet: Euro 2008 | |
ZAGREB, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Croatia coach Slaven Bilic was delighted with the team's effervescent performance in a 6-0 rout of Andorra on Wednesday that kept them in pole position to reach the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland.
Undefeated Croatia lead Group E with 23 points from nine matches, ahead of England who have 20 after their 3-0 win over Russia at Wembley. Russia are third on 18 from nine, a point ahead of fourth-placed Israel. 'I neither like nor follow Formula One but I will compare our position to that of a race car needing no pit stops, refuelling or tyre changes to cross the finish line first,' Bilic told reporters after seeing his team overrun Andorra. 'It's not over yet as four teams in our group are still in the hunt but we are almost there and I hope we can also do well in next year's finals if we qualify,' Bilic said. Croatia need four points from their remaining three matches, at home to Israel and away to Macedonia and England, to be mathematically sure of qualifying. Bilic said tension had crept into his side before Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Darijo Srna finally opened the floodgates with a deflected 34th-minute free kick. 'We were getting nervous as Andorra are a very defensive side but it was all clear after we scored the second,' he said. Mladen Petric made it 3-0 with two goals before the break and second half goals from Niko Kranjcar, Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva and Ivan Rakitic completed the drubbing. 'I don't like top quality teams that take their foot off the gas pedal against weak opposition and I am very pleased that we didn't,' Bilic said.