Spain and Germany on collision course
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
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The two sides who have between them won all four Women's U17 titles, current champions Spain and Germany, have been drawn in the same second qualifying round group.
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Holders Spain and Germany, who have between them won all four of the past UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship finals, have been matched in the second qualifying round after the draw was made in Nyon.
Spain have taken the title the past two seasons. Germany were victorious in the two editions before that, beating Spain 7-0 in the 2008/09 decider, and are the only nation to qualify for all four final tournaments, having come third over the most recent pair of campaigns. The Czech Republic and Serbia join them in Group 4, to be played in April and hosted by Spain, with only the four section winners progressing to the finals in Nyon.
France, runners-up for the second time last term, will meet the previous beaten finalists the Republic of Ireland as well as hosts Norway and Poland in Group 2, the first to start on 19 March. Switzerland, hoping to play in the final tournament on home turf for the first time, are up against England, hosts Belgium and last season's fourth-placed team Iceland.
Thee Netherlands, Sweden, home side Denmark and Finland were drawn in Group 3, the last to end on 1 May. The draw ceremony involved Clarisse Le Bihan, vice-captain of last season's France squad, who received the Fair Play trophy on behalf of her team from UEFA President Michel Platini.
The winners of Group 3 will take on the victors of Group 4 in the semi-finals at the Colovray Stadium on 26 June, as the draw for that round is already set, with the final and third-place play-off three days later. The tournament acts as a qualifier for the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Azerbaijan.
Second qualifying round draw
Group 1: Switzerland, England, Belgium*, Iceland
(13-18 April)
Group 2: France, Norway*, Republic of Ireland, Poland
(19-24 March)
Group 3: Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark*, Finland
(26 April-1 May)
Group 4: Germany, Spain* (holders), Czech Republic, Serbia
(10-15 April)
*Hosts
Final tournament (Colovray Stadium, Nyon)
Semi-finals (26 June)
Winner Group 1 v Winner Group 2
Winner Group 3 v Winner Group 4
Third-place play-off (29 June)
Loser semi-final 1 v Loser semi-final 2
Final (29 June)
Winner semi-final 1 v Winner semi-final 2