Oct 10 - Italy U-21 vs Azerbaijan [R]

[Kqql]

Under-21 European Championship qualifier - 10/10/03
Italy U21 6 - 0 Azerbaijan U21
Zaccardo 4, Gasbarroni 23, Gilardino 27, 61, D'Agostino 54, Borriello 90

Italy U21: Pegolo; Zaccardo (Barzagli 52), Bonera, Cannavaro, Moretti; Gasbarroni (Borriello 58), Brighi, De Rossi (Palombo 46), D'Agostino; Sculli, Gilardino

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/ita21aze.html

[SueB]

I was going to post this result but saw Kqql had posted it under the other thread, so I split it out. The result confirms Italy finished on top of their group but does not yet mean they have qualified for the U-21 European championship next year. Only 8 teams qualify for the finals, and the host will not be determined until those teams are know.

The groups were basically the same as the groups qualifying for Euro 2004 to facilitate scheduling and travel. Some small countries (Liechtenstein, Andorra, Faroes) don't have a U-21 team. Portugal was drawn into one of those groups (Group 7, with Turkey and England!). The group-winners and 6 best runners-up qualify for a round of playoffs in November. These are seeded playoffs with the 8 top group-winners going against the remaining 8.

With a handful of games being played today, the following countries have qualified for the playoffs:

1st place finishers: France, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Croatia, Switzerland, Norway, Czech Republic, Scotland, Italy

Best 2nd place finishers: Denmark, Germany, Serbia and Montenegro, Belarus, Portugal.

One slot remains to be decided.

Italy has a strong history of success in this tournament (4 championships), and next year's tournament (to be held in May/June) is doubly important because it will determine Europe's representatives at the Olympics.

This Italian team finished the group stage with 7 wins and one loss, 26 goals scored and only 5 conceded. But they still might have to get past Portugal or Germany in the playoffs! The draw for the playoffs is Oct 16.

[SueB]

Italy has drawn Denmark for the U-21 playoffs, to be held in mid-November. The other pairings to determine the final 8 are:

Germany v Turkey
Portugal v France
Serbia and Montenegro v Norway
Belarus vs Poland
Sweden v Spain
Switzerland v Czech Republic
Croatia v Scotland

[kotzunder]

Germany v Turkey
Portugal v France

wow.....i'd like to watch these 2
France is maybe the only team (at least) at the level of Italy....if they go out against Portugal it will be alot easier.....anyway a final Italy vs France would be very nice ( even if last time they met in a friendly like 2 years ago, France was alot better.....but this Italy U21 is really strong)