Stage set for Under-21 play-off draw in Denmark

Following a thrilling conclusion to the qualifying group stage the drama continues with today's draw for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-offs and you can watch it live on UEFA.com from 12.30CET.

2011 UEFA European U21 Championship play-off draw pots
Bowl A 
Sweden, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Romania, Italy, Croatia, Scotland

Bowl B
Greece, Switzerland, Ukraine, Spain, England, Belarus, Iceland

From the 52 sides that competed in the group stage, 14 remain, with a two-legged tie now standing between them and next June's final tournament alongside hosts Denmark. Sweden, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Romania, Italy, Croatia, Scotland, Greece, Switzerland and Ukraine reached the play-offs as group winners, while Spain, England, Belarus and Iceland took the four best runners-up slots.

Holders Germany are already out, but five former winners – the Netherlands, the Czechs, Italy, Spain and England – are among the cast in Herning, while Scotland and Iceland are aiming to get to the eight-team finals for the first time. Chris Maguire's last-gasp strike for Scotland in a victory against Austria won Group 10 with virtually the final kick of the campaign, consigning Belarus to a best runners-up spot.

Iceland surprisingly finished as the group stage's 29-goal top scorers, taking four points off Germany in the process in Group 5. Czech Republic clinched that section with a 3-1 success against Iceland in their last game, Tomáš Pekhart taking his competition-leading tally to seven goals with his side's second. The Czechs also let in the fewest goals with just five conceded.

Eight teams had to wait until the final round of matches before booking their places, including the five sides from the 2009 tournament still in contention this time round: Italy, Spain, England, Sweden and Belarus. Five-time U21 champions Italy won Group 3 but only courtesy of a better head-to-head record than Wales, whom they edged 1-0 in their concluding game to take pole position.

Sweden had reached the semi-finals on home soil in 2009 and held off Israel's late charge to top Group 6, while England, twice winners as well as finalists in 2009, qualified as one of the best runners-up, to Greece in Group 9. Spain won in Poland to clinch second place behind the Netherlands in Group 4.

The Czechs and Ukraine were the only countries to progress to the play-offs undefeated, although the latter won the fewest games, four, in getting this far. The two-legged play-off ties will be played between 8 and 12 October, with the seven winners joining hosts Denmark at the final tournament taking place in Aalborg, Aarhus, Viborg and Herning from 11 to 25 June 2011.