Under-21 EURO play-offs: Georgia, Finland, Czechia win first legs

Georgia, Finland and Czechia are ahead in their UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-offs after Friday's first legs, with Tuesday's returns to decide the last three places in the 2025 finals in Slovakia from 11 to 28 June.

While the nine qualifying group winners and the three best runners-up (not counting results against sixth-placed teams) are through to the final tournament along with hosts Slovakia, the other six runners-up are meeting over two legs for the remaining finals berths. The final tournament draw is in Bratislava on 3 December.

First legs: Friday 15 November

Georgia 1-0 Croatia 

Georgia, in their first play-off having reached the last eight on their finals debut as 2023 co-hosts, have a lead to take to Croatia after an early own goal decided matters in front of nearly 10,000 fans in Tbilisi.

A Saba Mamatsashvili shot was parried by Croatia goalkeeper Nikola Čavlina but Moris Valinčić's attempt to clear the ball ended up going in off Marko Soldo. Čavlina was sent off just past the hour but replacement Franko Kolić made several saves to keep Croatia's deficit at one goal ahead of the return in Rijeka.

Finland 5-1 Norway 

Two early goals and three in the last 11 minutes have given Finland a chance of only a second U21 EURO qualification, the other being in 2009. They went ahead a little over a minute in with a low shot by Leo Walta from just outside the box. Two minutes later Naatan Skyttä pounced on stray pass and set up Casper Terho to double the Finland lead.

Late in the first half Kristian Arnstad pulled one back for Norway with a fine finish from the edge of the penalty area. But Juho Talvitie was introduced by Finland with a quarter of an hour to go and four minutes later made it 3-1 from distance. Skyttä turned in a corner for the fourth and Tomas Galvez, with his first international goal at any level, further delighted Finland's record U21 home crowd of 5,275.

Belgium 0-2 Czechia 

The 2002 champions Czechia are well placed for their sixth play-off success from nine attempts after victory in Leuven.

Adam Karabec, part of the Czechia squad for both the 2021 and 2023 final tournaments, put the visitors into a 34th-minute lead when he charged down and deflected in a Belgium clearance. The second goal came with ten minutes left when Daniel Fila, who had not long been brought off the bench, pounced on a loose ball after a corner.

Adam Karabec (right) celebrates giving Czechia the lead in Belgium in the Under-21 EURO play-offsBELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images

Second legs: Tuesday 19 November

Czechia vs Belgium (17:30, first leg: 2-0)
Norway vs Finland (18:30, first leg: 1-5)
Croatia vs Georgia (19:00, first leg: 0-1)

All times CET

Team guide

FINLAND vs NORWAY

Finland

Qualifying Group E runners-up: P10 W6 D2 L2 F21 A8
Qualifying group stage top scorer: Otso Liimatta (7)
U21 EURO best: Group stage (2009)
Last U21 EURO: 2009 (group stage)

Previous play-offs: W1 L0
2009: W3-3agg/4-2pens vs Austria (L1-2 a, W2-1aet h)

Did you know?
Their 20 points in their group was the most Finland have ever managed in U21 qualifying.

Norway

Qualifying Group A runners-up: P10 W6 D1 L3 F28 A11
Qualifying group stage top scorer: Andreas Schjelderup (7)
U21 EURO best: Third place (1998)/Semi-finals (2013)
Last U21 EURO: 2023 (group stage)

Previous play-offs: W1 L3
2017: L1-2agg vs Serbia (L0-2 a, W1-0 h)
2013: W5-4agg vs France (L0-1 a, W5-3 h)
2004: L4-5agg vs Serbia and Montenegro (L1-5 a, W3-0 h)
2000: L1-7agg vs Spain (L1-3 h, L0-4 a)

Did you know?
Before 2023 Norway had only qualified twice, in 1998 and 2013, making the semis both times.

BELGIUM vs CZECHIA

Belgium

Qualifying Group B runners-up: P10 W6 D1 L3 F13 A6
Qualifying group stage top scorer: Kazeem Olaigbe (4)
U21 EURO best: Semi-finals (2007)
Last U21 EURO: 2023 (group stage)

Previous play-offs: W2 L2
2007: W5-2agg vs Bulgaria (D1-1 h, W4-1 a)
2006: L4-5agg vs Ukraine (W3-2 a, L1-3 h)
2002: W4-3agg vs Sweden (L2-3 a, W2-0 h)
2000: L2-4agg vs Netherlands (D2-2 a, L0-2 h)

Did you know?
Belgium are aiming to qualify twice in a row for the first time.

Czechia

Qualifying Group I runners-up: P8 W4 D2 L2 F13 A11
Qualifying group stage top scorer: Václav Sejk (4)
U21 EURO best: Winners (2002)
Last U21 EURO: 2023 (group stage)

Previous play-offs: W5 L3
2023: W2-1agg vs Iceland (W2-1 a, D0-0 h)
2013: L2-4agg vs Russia (L0-2 a, D2-2 a)
2011: W5-0agg vs Greece (W3-0 h, W2-0 a)
2007: W3-2agg vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (W2-1 h, D1-1 a)
2006: L0-3agg vs Germany (L0-2 h, L0-1 a)
2004: L3-3agg/3-4pens vs Switzerland (W2-1 a, L1-2aet h)
2002: W1-1agg away goals vs Croatia (D1-1 a, D0-0 h)
2000: W3-1agg vs Greece (W3-0 h, L0-1 a)

Did you know?
Czechia are equalling Italy and Spain's record nine play-off participations; Petr Čech was their final penalty shoot-out hero against France in their sole U21 EURO title in Switzerland.

GEORGIA vs CROATIA

Georgia

Qualifying Group C runners-up: P10 W6 D1 L3 F14 A10
Qualifying group stage top scorers: Vasil Gordeziani, Giorgi Kvernadze, Nodar Lominadze, Otar Mamageishvili (2)
U21 EURO best: Quarter-finals (2023)
Last U21 EURO: 2023 (quarter-finals)

Previous play-offs: None

Did you know?
Georgia made their finals debut as co-hosts in 2023, topping their group ahead of Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium before losing on penalties to Israel in front of a U21 EURO record 44,338 crowd in Tbilisi (not the first time they had set a new best at the Paichadze Stadium in the course of the tournament).

Croatia

Qualifying Group G runners-up: P10 W7 D1 L2 F20 A14
Qualifying group stage top scorer: Marin Ljubičić (6)
U21 EURO best: Quarter-finals (2021)
Last U21 EURO: 2023 (group stage)

Previous play-offs: W3 L4
2023: W3-3agg/5-4pens vs Denmark (W2-1 h, L1-2aet a)
2015: L2-4agg vs England (L1-2 a, L1-2 h)
2011: L1-5agg vs Spain (L1-2 a, L0-3 h)
2006: L2-5agg vs Serbia and Montenegro (L1-3 a, L1-2 h)
2004: W2-1agg vs Scotland (W2-0 h, L0-1 a)
2002: L1-1agg away goals vs Czechia (D1-1 h, D0-0 a)
2000 W3-2agg vs Portugal (L0-2 a, W3-0aet h)

Did you know?
Croatia are hoping to qualify for the fourth final tournament in a row.