Two goals from veteran skipper Dragan Stojkovic and one from Dejan Savicevic in Belgrade put Yugoslavia in a good position to qualify from Group Eight.

Croatia lead the group with 14 points from seven matches, one ahead of Yugoslavia who have a game in hand - the return with Macedonia in Skopje on Wednesday. Ireland, who also have a game in hand over the leaders, have 12 points but are likely to add to that against Malta on Wednesday.

Macedonia, cheered by a small but vociferous band of supporters, were the brighter starters yesterday but missed two good chances in the opening 15 minutes.

Striker Georgi Hristov shot wide from close range and Yugoslav goalkeeper Ivica Kralj tipped Toni Micevski's superb shot over the bar moments later. The Yugoslavs regained their composure and took a deserved 36th-minute lead through Stojkovic, back in the side after a rib injury, after a Predrag Mijatovic cross found him at the far post.

Mijatovic was the provider again nine minutes after the interval when he put Stojkovic through with a defence-splitting pass and the skipper blasted the ball into the roof of the net.

Macedonia threw men forward and got their reward in the 64th minute when Sasa Ciric sent Kralj the wrong way from the penalty spot after second-half substitute Zarko Serafimovski was felled in the box.

Savicevic sealed Yugoslavia's victory moments after coming on as a replacement for Stojkovic, when Boban Babunski deflected his speculative shot from the left flank past helpless goalkeeper Petar Milosevski.

Who Goes Through?

The nine group winners, plus the second-placed team with the best record and the winners of four, two-legged play-off matches between the eight other group runners-up. With the hosts, Holland and Belgium, also qualifying, that makes 16 finalists.

How Are The Runners-up Ranked?

The second placed teams are determined only by the teams placed first, third and fourth in their group - taking the Luxembourgs out of the equation. The same is true for the play-off qualifiers who, if level on these results, are separated by the following criteria, in this order:

Goal difference from these matches

Number of goals scored

Greater number of goals scored away from home

Fair play conduct from all the group matches.