Scotland and Romania through in three-way tie

Scotland and Romania edged into the UEFA European Under-19 Championship Elite round with Group 6 hosts Austria missing out in a three-way head-to-head despite a Matchday 3 defeat of the Scots.

Emphatic wins
Austria made the perfect start to the section, recording a 5-1 victory against Armenia on Matchday 1. Christan Klem (26, 90+3) and Philipp Huspek (62, 90+5) scored twice each with Michael Schimpelsberger getting the other in the 32nd minute, Gevorg Badalyan having temporarily revived Armenian hopes by making it 2-1 eight minutes into the second period. Scotland were also in fine scoring fettle against Romania at the Jacques Lemans Arena in St Veit an der Glan, two goals in three first-half minutes from Robert McHugh and Archie Campbell paving the way for a 3-0 win that was completed by Bradden Inman's 81st-minute effort.

Mixed results
The opening-day victors experienced contrasting fortunes in their second outings, Scotland continuing their prolific form by brushing aside Armenia 6-1 at the Wigo-Haus Arena in Feldkirchen. Inman (12) and James Forrest (17, 26) gave Billy Stark's side a three-goal half-time cushion and, though Zhora Stepanyan reduced the deficit a minute before the hour, further efforts from McHugh, Sean Burns and Danny Wilson rounded off an impressive display. Austria, meanwhile, were undone by two first-half goals in quick succession from Romania's Marius Pompiliu Albu and Denis Alibec, Marius George Tucudean making it 3-0 three minutes after the interval and Cosmin Gabriel Matei adding a fourth with time running out.

Austria edged out
That left the Scots on six points, three clear of both Romania and Austria going into the final fixtures, although Klem's 83rd-minute strike in St Veit an der Glan gave the hosts a 1-0 win against Scotland and a chance of progress. At the same time, however, Romania were overcoming Armenia by the same scoreline through a 13th-minute Andrian Marius Stoian penalty with Stepanyan being dismissed four minutes from time. That meant the top three teams all ended on six points, Scotland sneaking through in first place and Romania snatching the runners-up berth by virtue of their superior results to Austria in games among the three.