Italy’s coach Marcello Lippi (right) with Luca Toni during a training session at the Friuli Stadium in Udine, Italy, on Tuesday. (AP)

Zagreb: England hope to put behind their gloomy recent experiences against Croatia when they travel to Zagreb on Wednesday for an early key World Cup qualifier.

Croatia beat England twice in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, costing them a place in June’s finals in Switzerland and Austria and coach Steve McLaren his job.

Raymond Domenech has shown he can survive just about anything but another dismal performance against Serbia on Wednesday might just be too much and could spell the end of his days as France coach.

French Football Federation (FFF) president Jean-Pierre Escalettes decided in July that Domenech would stay on despite his team’s Euro 2008 flop but said the coach needed results.

The FFF made clearer the abrasive coach was under scrutiny when Alain Boghossian, a substitute in France’s 1998 World Cup-winning campaign, was named as his assistant last month.

After France were shocked 3-1 by Austria in their opening 2010 World Cup qualifier on Saturday, French media speculated Domenech would be sacked if his team failed to beat Serbia in their second Group Seven match in Paris.

“We owe them one,” England skipper John Terry, who expects to be rejoined in the centre of defence by Rio Ferdinand, told reporters after his side’s laboured 2-0 win over Andorra in Barcelona on Saturday.

“But this is a fresh campaign, a fresh start,” he added. “Even though losing (in Zagreb) two years ago is at the back of the players’ minds, we are not seeking revenge but three points. It will be two massive wins in the group and that is what we’re aiming to do.”

Croatia manager Slaven Bilic, whose side cruised to a 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan in their opening Group Six match, said the two sides are now even better equipped than in the previous campaign.

“I expect a better England team, but we are also in better shape. England did not excel against Andorra but they have great individuals who can turn any match in their favour.

“I believe details will decide again. Both sides know everything about each other,” Bilic, a reported target for the managerial vacancy at former club West Ham United, said.

Germany will be looking for more of the same from Lukas Podolski in their World Cup qualifier against Finland, four days after he led a Group Four rout of Liechtenstein.

Podolski found the net either side of halftime in Saturday’s 6-0 victory in Vaduz and the Euro 2008 runners-up are promising the same positive approach in Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium.

Patience and intelligence are the watchwords for Spain coach Vicente del Bosque ahead of their second 2010 World Cup qualifier against Armenia in Albacete on Wednesday.

The European champions got off to a winning start on Del Bosque’s competitive debut at the helm with a 1-0 victory over Bosnia in Group Five.

But the Bosnians made it hard for the hosts, crowding the midfield and defending in numbers, until striker David Villa broke the deadlock in the 57th minute. More of the same can be expected from Armenia.

The Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk faces a tricky encounter for his first competitive match in charge when the Dutch take on Macedonia in their World Cup qualifying opener in Skopje.

Macedonia made a stunning start to their Group Nine campaign on Saturday when Ilco Naumoski struck after four minutes to seal a 1-0 victory over Scotland.

However, Macedonia coach Srecko Katanec expects a far tougher test against the Dutch, who are likely to have Real Madrid’s Arjen Robben back in the fold.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi is set to ring the changes for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Georgia after the world champions scraped through their opener against unfancied Cyprus at the weekend.

Poor form is not the only problem for the Italian coach, who lost defenders Alessandro Gamberini and Fabio Grosso to injury in Saturday’s 2-1 win, and Gennaro Gattuso, who hurt his wrist in training on Sunday.