GROUP H / RUSSIA

*--* World Cup record: Played 34 (16-12-6); goals for: 60; goals against: 40 Best finish: Fourth in 1966 1998 showing: Did not qualify Coach: Oleg Romantsev. Coached Russia to its last major tournament, the 1996 European championships, but resigned after failing to reach the second round. Returned after Russia failed to qualify for the 1998 World Cup Players to watch: Vladimir Beschastnykh, Yegor Titov, Alexander Mostovoi, Valeri Karpin, Ruslan Nigmatullin In brief: Beschastnykh, a forward, is an exciting talent and Mostovoi is valuable and versatile, playing sweeper and striker during qualifiers. But Russia has lost four of five games this year and was booed in Moscow after losing to Yugoslavia in a penalty shootout during its World Cup send-off match Quick quote: “The class of our players is not as high as that of the world’s top teams. Our chances depend on team play and our ability to raise squad morale to the highest level before the start of the tournament.”--Romantsev Forecast: In this group, second round is a possibility for all except Tunisia

*--*