PARIS, Apr 3: Europe's probable World Cup qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup finals laecame clearer on Wednesday with just over seven months to go till the end of qualifying, reports AFP.

October 11 sees the last round of matches which will decided the nine group winners and the best second-placed team who qualify by right, and the eight other runners-up who must undergo a two-leg play-off to earn their passage.

Europe will have 15 teams in all including hosts France in the 32-natioh finals.

Italy's barren draw in Poland consolidated their lead in Group Two, while fellow three-times World Cup champions Germany faced an embarrassing upset before a Ulf

3-2- Grpup Nine win over Albania.

Greece became more of a certainty for France next year with their 1-0 win in Bosnia as they lead Group One.

Scotland had their second 2-0 win in five days as they beat Austria in Glasgow to motor seven points clear in Group Four. On Saturday Craig Brown's men had also won 2-0 at home to Estonia.

Meanwhile. Ukraine's 2-1 home win over Northern Ireland shot them ahead in Group Nine just above Portugal and Germany.

However sport must have losers as well as winners.

Both Northern Ireland and Republic Ireland, who lost 3-2 in Macedonia, look to be going out of the competition to leave no representative from the Emerald Isle. Not since 1978 have neither team qualified for the World Cup finals.

And the Czech Republic, who won such acclaim from neutrals at Euro '97 last year as they came second after being a whisker way from the title, look to be heading into the World Cup wilderness.

Their 2-1 home loss to Yu-§oslavia was a far cry from leir Euro '96 successes when they led 1-0 before two goals from Germany's Oliver Bierhoff earned Germany their third title at Wembley.

And Croatia, who had no disgrace in losing to a Matthias Sammer-inspired Germany in the Euro ‘96 quarterfinals, might rue only gaining a point after being 3-1 up with 25 minutes to go against Slovenia in Group One.

Primoz Gliha added two more goals in that period to complete his hattrick and possibly prevent the likes of stars Davor Suker, Robert Prosinecki and Alen Hoksic reaching the finals.

Italy kept their World Cup qualifying campaign on track

when they settled for a scrappy 0-0 draw with Poland.

Italy had more possession and showed more skill than the Poles, but failed to turn that into scoring chances. Poland chased ancf harried the 1994 World Cup finalists but never looked like breaching the Italian defence.

Substitute Ulf Kirsten was a hattrick hero for Germany as they came from behind to beat Albania 3-2.

Germany moved up from fourth to third behind Ukraine and Portugal in Group Nine in a match liberally sprinkled with penalties.

The game was played in neutral Spain because of the violent civil unrest in Albania but striker Juregen Klinsmann said it did not affect their concentration.

"We knew the Albanians had ' ^rStiienfSl ’Slit We IfflRletrTne 1 three points.'' said the Bayern Munlcn striker who partnered Oliver Bierhoff up front.

German keeper Andreas Kokpe came to the European champions' rescue after 15th minute when he saved Altin Rraklli's spot -kick.

But when Albania fortunately won another penalty in the 60th minute Auustin Kila stepped up and hit his shot through Kokpe to stun Germany.

However. Kirsten, who only came on in the 62nd minute, responded with three close-range strikes in the space of 20 minutes to put the Germans back in command.

Kola then fired home another spot-kick in the last minute to cap a bizarre night.

Two superb goals from Kevin Gallacher, his first for his country in three-and-a-half years, gave Scotland a 2-0 victory over Austria.

The Scots, in determined mood throughout against the Australians, also undefeated in the group before this match. । made the breakthrough after 241 minutes to send the Tartan Army wild with delight.

Gallacher, who has broken his leg twice in the last three years, won the ball in midfield and split the Austrian defence with a lovely weighted pass to Darren Jackson.