Starlets with talent to spare

By Paul Saffer

A youth tournament is by definition just as much about the future as the competition itself, so they eight sides who played in the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in Hungary will doubtless already have one eye on what is to come.

World Championship
For five of that octet, there is another tournament to look forward to - the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship. Russia, as hosts, had already qualified, but their magnificent run that culminated in the penalty shoot-out victory against France means they now bear the proud title of European champions.

Russian triumph
They were not the ante-post favourites, but like Spain in 2004, Russia showed the right mixture of flair and guile to beat more fancied opposition in England, Germany and France - who had defeated Valentin Grishin's side 4-0 on Matchday 1. Having a striker like Elena Danilova, whose total of nine finals goals was a competition record, helped.

France pipped
France, even though they did not match the feat of their U19 men's team two days earlier in taking the title, can feel positive having reached their third final in four years. They were after all only one penalty from victory when otherwise immaculate goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi hit the bar. Bouhaddi, Elodie Thomis and Louisa Necib were of course already well-known from UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™, but the emergence of Marie-Laure Delie and Inès Dahou - both still only 17 - was among many other causes for optimism.

Germany denied
Considering their domination at senior level, and their status as world U19 champions, Germany were tipped to succeed in Hungary, and the semi-final loss to Russia could be considered a disappointment. But only in Germany, so blessed with women's talent, could Célia Okoyino Da Mbabi and Simone Laudehr not already be senior-team regulars. And, of course, they suffered a similar disappointment in the 2004 final, and went on to become world champions - a feat they could repeat in Russia.

Finnish improvement
The other defeated semi-finalists, Finland, will be far more satisfied in replicating their senior team's run, considering their only previous finals appearance, as hosts last year, ended with three defeats. Half their squad were born before 1986, so Linda Sällström among others could be the basis of strong campaign in Switzerland next year, with a passage to Russia the icing on the cake.

Swiss success
Switzerland themselves also gained a World Championship place after defeating England for fifth place, and in the European U19 Championship next summer will hope to became the first hosts to reach the final. Their win against England was a victory for their workrate and commitment, as well as the ability of, among others, Vanessa Bürki and Martina Moser.

British rivals
Two of the three teams who missed out on World Championship qualification, England and Scotland, meet again when the 2005/06 competition begins, as they have been drawn in the same first qualifying round group. Those sides were unlucky to have eventual finalists Russia and France in their group stage pool, but England only missed out by the narrowest of margins, and Scotland had the joint-best record in qualification with the eventual champions and acquitted themselves well in their first finals.

Hungarian experience
Hosts Hungary were also debuting, and while like Scotland they did not gain a point, Belgium, Greece and Bulgaria are unlucky to draw Edina Markó's side in the 2005/06 first qualifying round, as much of their team will be eligible again only with added experience. The improvement of Finland in the last 12 months is testament to the importance of that quality.