By Dave Thompson

LONDON, Oct 7 (Reuters) Less than three months after their victorious World Cup final, Italy badly need to get their Euro 2008 challenge into gear with victory at home to Ukraine in their latest qualifier today.

On a busy day of action across the continent, injury-hit France, the team beaten by Italy in World Cup final in Germany, face a potentially tricky match away to Scotland in Glasgow while England will be looking for a convincing display at home to Macedonia.

Italy drew at home to Lithuania and lost away to France in their opening two Group B qualifiers but now face opponents they overcame on their way to success in Germany in July.

Italy beat Ukraine 3-0 in their quarter-final in Hamburg and striker Luca Toni, who scored twice in that game, believes the Azzurri still have the same desire for success.

He said: ''The first two games didn't go well and now we really need to get three points -- we have to go out there and win at all costs.'' The Italians' task has been made easier by the likely absence of Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko. The Chelsea man still has a high temperature and stayed behind in Kiev on Friday while the national squad flew to Italy.

Ukraine have already been hit by a rash of injuries, most recently to Serhiy Rebrov and Ruslan Rotan of Dynamo Kiev, and face a tough task against a team keen to get back on track.

Scotland and France top Group B both with two victories from two matches and an exciting game is in prospect at Hampden Park.

The French are struggling with injuries and defender Lilian Thuram also remarked: ''You may have noticed that we are now without the best French player of all time, Zinedine Zidane.'' Scotland manager Walter Smith observed: ''During qualification for the last World Cup, they had a few off days and still never lost a game so we will have to play extremely well to achieve anything at all.'' England, still smarting from their poor World Cup display, have been told by coach Steve McClaren he expects a much better performance against Macedonia at Old Trafford than in their nervy 1-0 win over them last month in Skopje.

He said: ''When we go 1-0 up, we need to push and go for the second goal. We can't just sit back. It's been a criticism of us in the past and rightly so.'' Other games to catch the eye include Sweden at home to Spain in Group F and Bulgaria v the Netherlands, in Group G.

REUTERS PM HT0840