Euro 2012: Montenegro Host England with Destiny in Their Own Hands

Whichever way you look at it, Montenegro are one of world football's overachievers. 

They go into Friday's crunch Euro 2012 Group G qualifying match with group leaders England in their own capital, Podgorica, knowing that if they beat Fabio Capello's side and then win their game in hand in Switzerland four days later, they reach next summer's finals in Poland and Ukraine at the Three Lions' expense. 

This would force England to scrap for a place in a qualification play-off. Heady days indeed for a nation which did not even exist when the qualifying draw for the last European Championships was made.

With a population of around 625,000—roughly the same as the city of Glasgow in the UK or Baltimore in the US—the fact that they rose to 16th in the FIFA world rankings as recently as June of this year is highly impressive.

When you consider they only played their first international as a fully independent nation four-and-a-half years ago following their split from Serbia—itself a result of the break-up of the former Yugoslavia—then their achievement is brought into even sharper focus.

Although they have since dropped down to 26th, they are still above the likes of Republic of Ireland, Turkey, South Korea and USA. No matter how much credence you give the FIFA rankings, even allowing for a significant margin of error still places them far higher than one might reasonably expect. 

Uruguay may be the nation to punch most above its weight in football in terms of population—both at present and historically—but the small Adriatic nation have already shown they are no lightweights themselves.  

Confirmation that they should be taken as a serious proposition came when they held England to a 0-0 draw at Wembley last October. It was one of the drabbest stalemates ever witnessed at England's national stadium, perhaps most notable for the international debut of Bolton centre-forward Kevin Davies at the age of 33.

However, it was a statement of intent from Hrabri Sokoli (the Brave Falcons) that left them top of the group and unbeaten at the halfway point of their campaign. That result was all the more remarkable because then manager Zlatko Kranjcar was without his two foremost attacking players, Stevan Jovetic and Mirko Vucinic.

Still only 21, Jovetic's poodle haircut has been bobbing around grounds in Italy in the violet of Fiorentina for three years now, and he has already scored eight goals in 14 international appearances. 

As one of Serie A's most accomplished and exciting forwards, Vucinic was plucked from Roma after five years with the Giallorossi in order to form a major part of the resurgence at Juventus.

Vucinic has taken little time in settling into the Bianconeri shirt of Juve, opening his account in his second appearance at the newly-built Juventus Arena, and playing a key role in Sunday's 2-0 win over champions Milan, which came the day after his 28th birthday.  

While Jovetic's absence was expected as he nearing the end of a year-long absence with cruciate ligament damage, Vucinic's late omission from the teamsheet was a major disappointment.

The captain and leading scorer of this nascent nation (in modern terms at least) had been the hero just four days previously when he scored the only goal against Switzerland in Podgorica. The forward, then playing for Roma, celebrated that 67th-minute strike in unconventional style by removing his shorts and putting them on his head. He got a booking for it, but no one cared, as it sent them to Wembley as group leaders. 

With neither Jovetic nor Vucinic facing England, goalkeeper Mladen Bozovic was the most consummate performer of a dreary goalless match which provoked boos from the home fans at the final whistle, and wild celebrations for the visitors. 

Since then, however, things have tailed off somewhat for Montenegro. A 1-1 draw at home with a very poor Bulgaria side in June was followed by a surprise 2-1 defeat to Wales in Cardiff last month.

Those two results were enough to see Krancjar sacked. Montenegrin Football Association president Dejan Savicevic may have been a sublime attacking midfielder and a two-times European Cup winner during his playing days, but he certainly seems to lack the same grace and finesse when it comes to his management style.

Croatian Kranjcar, perhaps a victim of his own success, has been replaced by his former assistant, Branko Brnovic. The Podgorica-born coach has been tasked with rescuing Montenegrin hopes of at least securing a play-off place as well as spearheading their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. 

It is a mark of Montenegro's ambition that in just their second attempt to reach a major finals they have made it clear that failure to do so will not be accepted.

The determination to announce their recently-acquired sovereignty to the world through their football team is matched by the ability many of their players possess, as shown by their record of eight wins and just one defeat in their last 11 matches at the Podgorica City Stadium. Their last six home games have yielded five clean sheets and just one goal conceded.

England may go into this match as firm favourites, especially given their own excellent away form, but the combination of strength and skill that has got Montenegro into this position will be underestimated at the visitors' cost.