Markovski seals home success

Marko Markovski headed in four minutes from time to ensure Serbia and Montenegro qualified for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals with a match to spare with victory against Poland.

Opening wins
The Elite round Group 7 hosts had claimed a 7-1 win against Albania two days ago, while Poland had defeated the Republic of Ireland 1-0, and after the Irish and Albanians drew earlier today in Kula, both teams in Novi Sad knew that three points could ensure their progress to Northern Ireland in July due to tie-breaks being settled by the head-to-head rule.

Lead short-lived
Poland began brightly and took a deserved eleventh-minute lead. Remy Andreasik broke free on the right and crossed for Adrian Mierzejewski to shoot in from eight metres out. However, with their first real attack, the hosts equalised not long after the half-hour mark when Nenad Lazareski was tripped in the box by Andreasik and Borko Veselinovic converted the penalty for his fourth goal of the mini-tournament.

Late drama
It seemed that the group would go to Friday's decisive fixtures, but as time ran out Veselinovic robbed the ball in a dangerous position on the right and sent a fine cross to his fellow hat-trick scorer against Albania, Markovski, to touch in from close range.

Friday fixtures
Serbia and Montenegro, assured of their first U19 finals berth, end their Elite round programme here against the Republic of Ireland, while Poland, who will finish second, play Albania in Kula.