EURO U19 16-27/07/07

[bulit]

16.07.2007

17:15 Greece U19 - Portugal u19 3.60--3.30--1.90
18:00 France U19 - Serbia U19 1.95--3.25--3.50
18:00 Germany U19 - Russia U19 2.05--3.05--3.40
20:00 Austria U19 - Spain U19 6.30--3.80--1.45

[bulit]

Standings

<TABLE class="TableLeft tableStandings"><TBODY><TR class=titleColumn><TH class=flag>Group A</TH><TH><ABBR title="Matches played">Pld</ABBR></TH><TH><ABBR title=Points>Pts</ABBR></TH><TH colSpan=3><ABBR title=Profiles></ABBR></TH></TR><TR class=on><TD class=flag title=Austria> AUT</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=off><TD class=flag title=Greece> GRE</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=on><TD class=flag title=Portugal> POR</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=off><TD class=flag title=Spain> ESP</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE class="TableRight tableStandings"><TBODY><TR class=titleColumn><TH class=flag>Group B</TH><TH><ABBR title="Matches played">Pld</ABBR></TH><TH><ABBR title=Points>Pts</ABBR></TH><TH colSpan=3><ABBR title=Profiles></ABBR></TH></TR><TR class=on><TD class=flag title=France> FRA</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=off><TD class=flag title=Germany> GER</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=on><TD class=flag title=Serbia> SRB</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR class=off><TD class=flag title=Russia> RUS</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Top scorers - Qualifying

<TABLE class=playerStatTeam><TBODY><TR class=on><TD class=value>5</TD><TD class=player>Juan M Mata (ESP) </TD></TR><TR class=off><TD class=value>4</TD><TD class=player>Kostas Mitroglou (GRE) </TD></TR><TR class=on><TD class=value>4</TD><TD class=player>Bjarni Thor Vidarsson (ISL) </TD></TR><TR class=off><TD class=value>3</TD><TD class=player>Adam Rooney (IRL) </TD></TR><TR class=on><TD class=value>3</TD><TD class=player>Hen Azriel (ISR) </TD></TR><TR class=off><TD class=value>3</TD><TD class=player>Kamil Grosicki (POL) </TD></TR><TR class=on><TD class=value>3</TD><TD class=player>Glenn Roberts (NOR) </TD></TR><TR class=off><TD class=value>3</TD><TD class=player>Diviu Ganea (ROU) </TD></TR><TR class=on><TD class=value>3</TD><TD class=player>Alex Pearce (SCO) </TD></TR><TR class=off><TD class=value>3</TD><TD class=player>Adrián López (ESP) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[bulit]

AUSTRIA

Though coach Herman Stadler emphasises team spirit, the hosts have plenty of players with useful experience outside Austria. Captain Julian Baumgartlinger of TSV 1860 München and Christoph Mattes from SC Heerenveen are the key players in midfield, while another Dutch-based man, FC Twente's Marco Arnautovic, leads the attack, with support from playmaker Daniel Beichler of SK Sturm Graz. FK Austria Wien's Christian Ramsebner holds the defence.

GREECE

Key players
This Greece side features some well-known names, with clubs beginning to put their faith in some younger talents – most notably right-winger Sotirios Ninis. The Panathinaikos FC starlet made his first-team debut in January and scored on his fourth appearance, going on to make 14 league appearances and catch the eye with his crossing, dribbling skills and keen eye for goal. AEK Athens FC defender Socratis Papastathopoulos is a key figure, as is striker Konstantinos Mitroglou, who scored in every Elite round game and plays in Germany for VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach's reserve team. Midfielder Elini Dimoutsos of AO Ilysiakos has also impressed in recent months, and has been linked with a move to both Panathinaikos and AEK.

PORTUGAL

Key players
As always, Portugal have some prodigiously talented individuals. Forward Fábio Coentrão, recruited by SL Benfica from Rio Ave FC, scored twice in the Elite round and is adept at dribbling and passing. Sporting Clube de Portugal provide steady midfielder Bruno Pereirinha and defensive lynchpin Daniel Carriço, as well as goalkeeper Rui Patrício who is tipped for great things.

SPAIN

Key players
With Meléndez in Canada, the Spain squad has undergone some major changes and only Valencia CF forward Aarón Ñíguez remains of their goalscorers from the Elite round. Two of last year's veterans, Real Madrid CF B team forwards Juan Manuel Mata and Alberto Bueno - the former scored five goals in qualifying - are perhaps the most notable absentees, leaving much depending on CA Osasuna pair César Azpilicueta and Jon Echaide, who both made their first-team club debuts this season, and Athletic Club Bilbao midfielder Javi Martínez, who made 35 Primera División appearances and scored three goals in 2006/07. Sáez is likely to rely on a traditional 4-4-2 approach that nevertheless belies an attacking approach of a team who seeks to dominate games from start to finish.


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[bulit]

FRANCE

Key players
Unlike the previous generations, there are no clear stars or Ligue 1 regulars. "William Vainqueur is alone in that case," said coach Guy Ferrier. "Or should I say was, as his team [FC Nantes Atlantique] have been relegated." Ferrier has built a squad "where every player can be changed in case of injury - football is a team sport, isn't it?" Apart from midfielder Vainqueur, the most experienced is RC Lens striker Kevin Monnet-Paquet who appeared in four UEFA Cup games this season. He vies with AS Monaco FC's Steve Pinau to be the best scorer with five U19 goals each so far this season. During the Elite round, SM Caen defender Thomas Heurtaux commanded the back line in front of Montpellier Hérault SC goalkeeper Johann Carrasso - the brother of Olympique de Marseille custodian Cedric.

GERMANY

Key players
Hertha BSC Berlin's powerful yet elegant defender Jerome Boateng made nine Bundesliga appearances in 2006/07 as well as playing in a further 15 games in the third division for the club's reserve side. Werder Bremen forward Kevin Schindler has only one top-flight game to his name but caught the eye with three UEFA Cup appearances, setting up Hugo Almeida's goal in a victory at CA Osasuna. Germany's strength mainly lies in attack, particularly Bayer 04 Leverkusen's Dennis Schmidt - scorer of four goals in five U19 appearances - and Daniel Halfar of 1.FC Kaiserslautern, who became the club's youngest scorer in 2005/06 when he struck twice against MSV Duisburg aged 18 years and 28 days.</B>

SERBIA

Key players
Serbia's side is based around players who have plenty of Superliga experience already, particularly midfield pair Nikola Gulan and Miloš Bosančić, who are rising stars at FK Partizan. The more attacking Ljubomir Fejsa is a key figure at FK Kula while much of FK Vojvodina's offensive threat rests on left-winger Dušan Tadić, although both players are on the verge of moves away, to ACF Fiorentina and Boavista FC respectively. The undoubted star of the team, however, is forward Miralem Sulejmani, who joined Eredivisie side SC Heerenveen from Partizan in January and scored four goals in qualifying. Widely considered the most promising player in Serbia, much will depend on his dribbling and invention.

RUSSIA<!--googleon: index-->
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Key players
The majority of the squad play their club football in the second and third divisions, with the only foreign-based player FC Levadia Tallinn striker Nikita Andreev, who scored one of the goals that earned UEFA Cup victory against FC Twente. Coach Ravil Sabitov - who will take charge of FC Torpedo Moskva after the finals - plays with two strikers and has won a reputation as an innovative tactician. Perhaps the biggest star is FC Spartak Moskva's Artem Dzyuba, a powerful, technically gifted striker who can drop into midfield. Dzyuba and Andreev both scored three goals in qualifying, while on-loan PFC CSKA Moskva forward Aleksandr Salugin provides another option. Sergei Borodin plays for third division FC Krylya Sovetov SOK Dimitrovgrad but is considered Russia's best young goalkeeper, while defenders Andrei Ivanov and Sergei Golyatkin and midfield pair Pavel Mamayev and Igor Smolnikov are also central figures.


All this informations and more you can find on uefa.com - UEFA European U-19 C'ship
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[allthethings]

Can someone explain this competition? First there was Elite, now eight teams are grouped again? Somehow I thought it was all knockout from here on...

[bulit]

No. This is final tournament. First two teams in both groups will go in semis.
On first look I fancy Portugal but there is time to see more news about squads

[$olvent]

Good work,bulit

[IsovitisGR]

Very nice preview Bulit. Just two comments about Greece. First Dimoutsos is, finally, Panathinaikos player and second that, as coach Nikos Nioplias and some players said, the main target of this team is to reach to the final as is a team with a lot of quality. And that's true, i had the opportunity to see the qualifying round and Greece played some nice football especially in the second half of the games. Also, is a kind of...sign the fact that we have in the same group Portugal and Spain as in the European Championship of Portugal in 2004 and that the first game is against Portugal. I don't know much about Portugal team but i see some value in lay Portugal for this first game.

[bulit]

Originally Posted by IsovitisGR

Very nice preview Bulit. Also, is a kind of...sign the fact that we have in the same group Portugal and Spain as in the European Championship of Portugal in 2004 and that the first game is against Portugal. I don't know much about Portugal team but i see some value in lay Portugal for this first game.

Sorry but still beleive that Portugal can win this one. If Greece won we can bet on them to win championship. Like you said same like in Portugal 2004

I watched this team of Serbia few times and I can say that they are playing very well. I don't tonk that France i big favorit here but maybe the best solution is to skip first match and after watching few games to see who is good who's not

[IsovitisGR]

i...forgive you bulit . Yeah, Serbian have always good teams but they are also unconsistent, you can never trust them!Portuguese on tthe other side play as the brasilians in early 80"s. Very good technical but they always to do the something more and lose the goal easily. They have to be more essential IMO.

[igor5]

Greece - Portugal
Low scoring game ,one goal could decide everything.........

France - Serbia
I fancy draw in this game

Germany - Russia
I`m going with Germany........

Austria - Spain
My money are alredy on Spain to win the fourth title
Juan Santisteban is the magician of Spanish football if I’m not wrong he is working almost twenty years with youth Spanish sides and again he is going to make some miracle beside the fact that some of there’s best players are missing
Tomorrow they should have too much for the host ,i expect plenty of goals as always when Spain is playing

GL

[Diomed]

Germany fully motivated and optimistic. Their defence stands really well, the only deficit is up front. Fancy Germany to win a low scoring match, maybe 1-0.

[Monty H.]

BOL all,
Strong reason to believe there wont be a draw between France vs Sebia and Greece vs Portugal as posted in my system proofing thread..

[IsovitisGR]

What's the reason Monty?

[IsovitisGR]

Greece (probable line up)

Androutsos

Boukouvalas Papastathopoulos Apostolopoulos Moniakis


Pliatsikas Siakas Dimoutsos

Ninis Mitroglou Papadopoulos


A 4-3-3 formation for greek team which will play offensevily from the beginning according to coach Nikos Nioplias. As i mentioned, greek team plays better (and score more) in second half.