Holders steeled for tough test

Turkish triumph
The Turkish team claimed the trophy by defeating the Netherlands in the final in Italy earlier this year and the current crop of players picked up where their predecessors had left off, winning qualifying Group 9 with three victories from three games. They now face the country they succeeded as holders, France, whose UEFA coefficient ranking earned automatic passage to the Elite round, plus the Czechs and the Danes in Group 3.

Dutch tests
Finalists in 2005, the Netherlands also reached the Elite round as section winners after taking first place in qualifying Group 11, and next meet Germany, Finland and Northern Ireland in Group 1. Spain, runners-up in 2002 and 2004, also sat out the qualifying round and have been pitted with Moldova, Cyprus and Wales in Group 5 while the other side to receive a bye through the first round, England, take on Russia, Italy and Bulgaria in Group 7.

Peacock primed
"It couldn't have been much tougher but we're used to tough draws at U17 level and we're going to have to play the teams and try to beat them to get through to the next round," said England coach John Peacock. "We've already played Italy in a mini-tournament this season, and they beat us 2-1 so they know a lot about us and vice versa, whereas Russia and Bulgaria are unknown quantities."

Strong sections
Group 2 sets qualifying-round pool winners Hungary and Sweden against perennial contenders Portugal and Ukraine, who qualified as the best third-placed team, while Switzerland, Poland, Slovakia and Belgium have been drawn in Group 4. Serbia and Montenegro are top seeds in Group 6, which also involves the Republic of Ireland, Israel and Romania.

Luxembourg target
The draw was conducted in Limassol by Cyprus's most-capped player, Charalambos Pittas, a veteran of 82 internationals, together with UEFA's technical director Andy Roxburgh and Jim Boyce, chairman of the Youth and Amateur Football Committee. The Elite round will take place in the spring, with the seven group winners qualifying for next summer's final tournament in Luxembourg, who have qualified automatically, from 3-14 May 2006.

Automatic qualifiers for Elite round in bold
*Best third-placed team in qualifying round