LONDON (AP) -France coach Raymond Domenech is in danger of losing his job only two games into World Cup qualifying. Carlos Queiroz is under pressure barely two months after taking the Portugal job.
The two teams are fourth in their qualifying groups, fully knowing that only those nations finishing atop each group are sure to go to South Africa for the 2010 tournament.
While World Cup holder Italy, European champion Spain, Germany and England are in strong positions even this early in the qualifying stage, France and Portugal have fallen behind and face tough away games Saturday.
France goes to Romania and Portugal visits Sweden. Defeats will put more pressure on the two coaches.
While Queiroz is new to the job and almost certainly will get more time to get things right, Domenech already is barely hanging onto his position after France's dismal first-round elimination at Euro 2008.
The French federation warned that Domenech could be out if the team does not get a good start to World Cup qualifying. After a 3-1 loss to Austria, France rallied with a 2-1 victory over Serbia, but a defeat in Bucharest on Saturday will send the team down to fifth in Group 7, with only the Faeroe Islands below.
While France faces the Romanians without defender William Gallas and midfielder Lassana Diarra, Portugal coach Queiroz has four key players missing because of injury.
Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Maniche and Simao Sabrosa will all miss the game in Sweden. But Cristiano Ronaldo returns after a long layoff with an ankle injury. He missed the 4-0 win at Malta and the 3-2 loss at home to Denmark, when Portugal conceded two goals in the last minute.
Real Madrid central defender Pepe says Portugal can't afford to fall too far behind.
``We don't want to end up depending on the results of other teams,'' he said. ``It's going to be difficult (against Sweden), but if we play like we did in our best periods in the last two qualifiers we'll be able to win.''
Italy goes to Bulgaria leading Group 8 but with half its regular lineup injured, including goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and playmaker Andrea Pirlo.
Marcello Lippi, who coached Italy to the 2006 world title and returned to the job after Euros, has a group of untried youngsters and is looking forward to seeing them blend with the experienced players.
``That's the consequence of the enthusiasm I see in these guys. We've had an excellent week of preparation,'' he said. ``The older players are mixing together perfectly with the newer players. I'm going to Sofia with a lot of confidence.''
Spain has a two-point lead at the top of Group 5 and has gone 25 matches without defeat. Vicente del Bosque takes his team to Estonia on Saturday and then to Belgium.
After failing to reach Euro 2008, England rallied with an impressive 4-1 victory at Croatia and now has matches against Kazakhstan at Wembley on Saturday and at Belarus on Wednesday.
Germany hosts Russia in a meeting of the Euro 2008 runner-up and a semifinalist. The Germans top Group 4 with four points and the Russians are a point behind, tied with Wales.
With seven players sidelined, Group 9 leader Netherlands has called goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar out of international retirement for games against Iceland and Norway.
Also in Europe on Saturday, it's Ukraine against Croatia; Faeroe Islands vs. Austria; Serbia vs. Lithuania; Georgia vs. Cyprus; Scotland vs. Norway; Hungary vs. Albania; Denmark vs. Malta; Switzerland vs. Latvia; Luxembourg vs. Israel; Greece vs. Moldova; Poland vs. Czech Republic; San Marino vs. Slovakia; Slovenia vs. Northern Ireland; Finland vs. Azerbaijan; Wales vs. Liechtenstein; Turkey vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina; and Belgium vs. Armenia.
In South American qualifying Saturday, Bolivia hosts Peru, Argentina hosts Uruguay, and Colombia is home for Paraguay. On Sunday, Brazil is at Venezuela and Chile at Ecuador.
In CONCACAF games, Cuba plays the United States in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, along with Trinidad and Tobago at Guatemala; Mexico at Jamaica; Canada at Honduras; Costa Rica at Suriname; and El Salvador at Haiti.
African games Saturday are Tanzania hosting Cape Verde Islands; Cameroon hosting Mauritius; Namibia home for Zimbabwe; Equatorial Guinea hosting South Africa; Nigeria home for Sierra Leone; Libya at Gabon; Lesotho at Ghana; Algeria at Liberia; Gambia at Senegal; Mozambique at Botswana; Madagascar at Ivory Coast; Mauritania at Morocco; Seychelles at Tunisia; Chad at Mali; Sudan hosting Republic of Congo; Togo vs. Swaziland at Accra, Ghana; and Malawi hosting Congo.
