Btw. currently matchday 2 of the U-19 Elite Round is under way. There were no real suprises on the first matchday and it looks like every group winner will be decided on the last match day. Although Scotland can already cling first place if they win against Croatia, while Russia fail to win against Iceland. Also RoI can assure first place as well with a win against the Netherlands and Turkey failing to beat Austria. http://www.uefa.com/womensunder19/season=2014/standings/index.html
As expected, no group winners are decided as of yet. However in the last match of the evening both teams, RoI and the Netherlands, could have qualified with a win. But none of them scored even a single goal and now actually all 4 teams could still finish first in group 5 (although RoI and Ned are in the best positions). I expect the best RU to come from this group.* In all other groups there will be a direct duel for first place. Group 1 - Spain against Switzerland, Spain only need a draw. Group 2 - Scotland against Russia, Scotland only need a draw. Group 3 - Sweden against France, Sweden only need a draw. Group 4 - Germany against Belgium, Germany only need a draw. Group 5 - See above. Group 6 - England against Finland, England only need a draw. So apparently the seeding worked very well. All pot 1 teams only need a draw in their last match against the pot 2 team to finish first, still all pot 2 teams can upset the pot 1 teams with wins. Only exception is group 5, where Austria was the undeserving pot 1 team. * In group 2, 3 and 6 the RU can only have a maximum of 3 points, while the RU of groups 1 and 4 could end up with 4 points and a GD of +1 at best. ROI and NED both will both try to win against Austria and Turkey by as many goals as possible so I expect the RU of this group to have 4 points and a GD>2. For some reason group 5 play their matches after all other groups, so they'll even know what results they need.
England top the Group 6 with a 5-0 win over Finland. For the best runner-up team Finland has 3 points from their win against Serbia and a -1 goal difference.
Belgium also manage to beat Germany 1:0 (although Germany had the most of the goal scoring opportunities, they failed to convert any of them). Germany is second with 3 pts and +2 GD (4:2).
Scotland U19 with a 2:0 win against Russia U19 also secure first place. Russia are eliminated, because they can't become the best 2nd placed team.
Spain U19 win 1:0 against Switzerland U19 and are through as well. Germany still the best 2nd placed team as of now.
The way things are going France could finish 2nd with 4 pts and +4. Hopefully, we can beat Sweden and avoid depending on the 2nd place qualification.
Nevermind, that's a lesson that the French girls will learn. Hopefully, they won't make the same mistakes at senior level.
Aaaand France and Germany are out. Oh dear. Sweden and Netherlands as group winners plus Ireland as best second placed team are also in.
The day is done, Germany & France lose and will not go to the EU Finals. http://www.uefa.com/womensunder19/season=2014/standings/index.html All group winners go, plus best runner-up. That would be pic.twitter.com/jsq3DYPCp8 = Ireland.
Big blow for France after being eliminated in Euro U17 first round with the 97' but most of this group will be at the world cup U20 in Canada in August so they will still have an important youth experience ....and 9 of the 18 girls called for the elite tournament are young enough to play the next Euro so overall is not that bad for us .
It's never that bad anyway. I also closely follow the boys' tournaments and there is no nation that constantly qualifies to all EUROs. It's completely normal that even the top nations (regarding the senior teams) fail to qualify quite often and it's also normal for women football. As of yet Germany's youth teams qualified for every WWC, but just wait until they won't in the not so distant future. It's completely normal and we should be happy women's football gets more competitive.
@Lusankya Hey, hey, hey.... "It's completely normal that even the top nations (regarding the senior teams) fail to qualify quite often and it's also normal for women football"... I thought this was the women's forum buddy. What are you talking about? Your being way too rational in describing a clearly observable fact of football, and that's typically called being stupid around here. You should always be focusing on the highly bias and irrational context of the women's game, and stop filling threads with your calm and reasonable voodoo talk, related to inconsequential facts about losing, that you clearly don't understand. Because from what I read around BS, if any one major wnt program fails to win at any level, their either instantly garbage, or soon to be spent forces. So please, when they lose, stop making relentless excuses for all the ordinary talent production taking place within UEFA' s top programs......
England squad disclosed. Despite the competition being for girls born in 95 and later, they have 1 95 girl, 13 96 and 4 97. The best 95 girls are selected for the U20 WC. A very young team,
Tournament starts Tuesday: http://www.uefa.com/womensunder19 Group A Preview (NOR, NED, BEL, SCO): http://www.uefa.com/womensunder19/news/newsid=2117421.html Group B Preview (ENG, SWE, IRE, ESP): http://www.uefa.com/womensunder19/news/newsid=2117433.html
Why do these female youth tournaments always feel like there taking place on the moon lol. UEFA's such a developed region, but surely their whole TV only rule is such an outmoded model for viewing youth football right now?
can you reformulate that as a question? oh, it is a question... can you reformulate that as a question i can understand?
@guignol OK.... "Why do these female youth tournaments always feel like there taking place on the moon lol." Why girls play football when people can't see hahaha "UEFA's such a developed region, but surely their whole TV only rule is such an outmoded model for viewing youth football right now?" Land called Europe has loads of money, why we need old glowing light box to watch girls play football, when we have new magic called free on line streaming? That better..?
Yeah, hence my poorly executed "Why do these female youth tournaments always feel like there taking place on the moon lol." joke. But look, when other financially inferior Confederations regularly stream all their youth games live, a monstrously rich UEFA still attempting to get extra pocket change through ridiculous TV deals on female tournaments, just comes across as idiotic strategy every single year they prolong it. I mean anybody actually wanting to witness the two measly games on offer.., has to hope a overly generous Eurosport, doesn't have it's annual summer of skinny PED abusers on peddle bikes overlapping the football broadcasts too. Which typically means, you only see one full game anyway, and that's not always the tournaments final match either lol.
Personally I just take a flight to watch some of the games or as in last year, road trips to Wales. This year flight to Norway I dont think viewing figures would justify Eurosport showing the group games
And without the generous support of Eurosport, the viewing figures of the semi's or final wouldn't justify TV time either lol. With all the ludicrous amounts of UCL money floating around, you would think a comprehensive online TV service would be in place for the niche audience of youth football..? Hoping that major domestic or pan European sports networks continue to bid for the licenses is simply short term moronic greed.