Austria start in style

A final day 2-1 victory against Group 12 hosts Luxembourg ensured Azerbaijan joined comfortable pool winners Austria in progressing to the 2004/05 UEFA European Under-17 Championship second qualifying round.

Pürcher opener
Austria, who competed in the 2003/04 final tournament, had a new coach in Hermann Stadler and only Michael Madl remaining from the squad that played in France, but showed their intentions for this season when Dominik Pürcher headed the first goal of this season's competition seconds into their opener against Azerbaijan in Esch-sur-Alzette.

Luxembourg win
Rza Gafarli equalised in the 22nd minute but Veli Kavlak restored Austria's lead on the half-hour. Rahid Amirguliyev drew Azerbaijan level again three minutes into the second period, but Mario Felber gave Austria a decisive 3-2 advantage five minutes later. In the other match in Hautcharage, goals early in each half from Davide Palumbo and Gilles Bettmer gave Luxembourg a 2-0 win against Moldova.

Austria through
Two days later in Hautcharage, Azerbaijan bounced back from defeat by Austria as Gafarli's 63rd-minute goal was enough to defeat Moldova 1-0. Austria now knew that victory against Luxembourg later in Bettembourg would seal their progress and confirm them as group winners, and although the game was goalless until the 73-minute mark, Kavlak then opened the scoring with a superb individual goal and within two minutes Daniel Beichler was on target to confirm a 2-0 triumph for Stadler's side.

Moldova consolation
Moldova, who reached the second qualifying round last season, now knew they were out, but their 2003/04 campaign ended with a 0-0 draw against an already-through Austria side, and completed their campaign this time in Bettembourg with an identical result. But the decisive action was in Esch-sur-Alzette where Azerbaijan only needed a draw to gain one of the two automatic qualifying places on goals scored - but the hosts required victory to progress through a round in this competition for the first time.

Azerbaijan joy
Luxembourg seemed to be on their way when Matthew De Cae gave them a 16th-minute lead, but on 68 minutes Nizami Hajiyev levelled the scores and then struck what proved the winner a quarter-hour from time. In the second qualifying round, Austria will be in Group 5 and Azerbaijan Group 6, while Luxembourg must now rely on being the best of the 12 third-placed teams, a hope that could be ended tomorrow if Finland avoid a two-goal defeat by Greece in the final match of their first qualifying round pool.