EURO '96 ROUNDUP : ITALY, DENMARK OUSTED FROM EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Byline: Associated Press 

Italy is gone from the European Championship. So is Denmark, the defending champion of the important soccer tournament.

Italy tied Germany 0-0 Wednesday before a frenzied crowd that included German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and tennis star Boris Becker, and was as intent on following the Czech Republic-Russia game as the one on the field in Manchester, England.

Italy, a World Cup finalist, certainly had its chance, with Gianfranco Zola missing a penalty kick in the seventh minute and Germany's Thomas Strunz ejected in the 59th minute.

But the Germans held on and advanced to the quarterfinals from Group C along with the Czech Republic, which tied 3-3 with Russia at Liverpool. The Czechs tied it with a minute left. Had Russia won 3-2, Italy would have made it to the quarters.

The Italians and Czechs tied for second place behind the Germans on points. However, the Czechs' 2-1 victory over Italy last Friday was the deciding factor.

Denmark was ousted from the 16-team tournament despite beating Turkey 3-0 in Sheffield and finishing third in Group D.

When the Russians turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead with five minutes remaining, the Italian fans at Manchester's Old Trafford went wild. Then they heard Vladimir Smicer tied it with a minute left.

It would have been different had Zola scored on his penalty kick, but his weak shot allowed Andreas Koepke to make an easy diving save.

At Liverpool, goals by Jan Suchoparek and Pavel Kuka put the Czechs ahead 2-0 after 20 minutes before the Russians hit back with Alexandr Mostovoi (48th), Omar Tetradze (53rd) and Vladimir Beschastnykh (85th). Then Smicer ran on to a deep pass from Lubos Kubik and rifled the tying goal past Stanislav Cherchesov.

The Czechs face Group D winner Portugal in one quarterfinal Sunday while two-time titlist Germany faces Croatia. The other games are Saturday: England-Spain and France-Netherlands.

Portugal downed Croatia 3-0 to leapfrog the Croats and finish atop the group. First-half goals by Luis Figo and Joao Pinto and a late strike by Domingos Oliveira produced three points for the unbeaten Portuguese.

Already assured a quarterfinal place, Croatia fielded a reserve side in its game at Nottingham.

Portugal finished with seven points and Croatia six. Denmark was eliminated with four points.

The Turks lost all three of their games.

At Hillsborough, Glasgow Rangers striker Brian Laudrup opened the scoring in the 48th minute for the Danes. He got behind the Turkish defense, latched on to a header from Erik Bo Andersen, coolly rounded the keeper and side-footed the ball into an open goal.