Germany on reclamation mission

Run ends
UEFA European Women's Under-18 Championship winners in 2000 and 2001, Germany won the inaugural Under-19 event in 2002 before being sensationally knocked out two games into a tournament they were hosting last summer - the first time since the opening U18 tournament in 1998 that Germany had not reached the final. However, that young team of 2003 - who signed off with a 6-0 victory against England - are now a year older and bent on revenge.

THE COACH:
For Germany's fourth most-capped women's international, Silvia Neid, progressing to a coaching role was a natural step. As a player, the 39-year-old claimed seven German titles - one with SSG 09 Bergisch and six with TSV Siegen - as well as European titles with Germany in 1989, 1991 and 1995. She was also in the team that finished runners-up at the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, a year before taking up a coaching position at the German Football Association. Her golden touch showed from the sidelines too, with Germany dominating in Europe prior to last year.

ROUTE TO THE FINALS:
Given a bye through the first of the two qualifying rounds, Germany began their campaign in Group A1. Simone Laudehr hit four goals and Anja Mittag a hat-trick in an opening 9-0 victory against Poland. To prove that was no fluke, Hungary were beaten by the same score, with eight different players registering goals - Katharina Griessemer claiming two. Final opponents Iceland had also won both their games, and shocked Germany by taking a seventh-minute lead through Margrét Lára Vidarsdottir. But prompted by Annike Krahn's 27th-minute equaliser, the Germans went on to win 5-1 and seal their place in Finland.

HONOURS:
UEFA European Women's Under-18 Championship
Winners 2000, 2001
Runners-up 1999
UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship
Winners 2002