UEFA Route de Genève 46 CH-1260 Nyon 2 Union des associations Switzerland européennes de football Telephone +41 848 00 27 27 UEFA.com EUROPEAN WOMEN’S UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP SWITZERLAND 2010 contents european women’s under-17 championship switzerland 2010 english section 3 partie française 9 deutscher teil 15 statistics 21 european impressum This publication is produced by UEFA women’s under-19 championship Editorial Team: Andy Roxburgh (UEFA Technical Director) fyr macedonia 2010 Graham Turner Production Team: André Vieli Dominique Maurer english section 29 Pictures: Matt Browne / Stephen McCarthy / Paul Mohan – Sportsfile partie française 39 Acknowledgements and thanks Technical Observers: deutscher teil 49 Hesterine de Reus (WU17) Anne Noë (WU19) Jarl Torske (WU19) Ole Andersen (Graphics) statistics 59 Hélène Fors (Administration) Catherine Maher (Administration) UEFA Language Services Setting: Atema Communication SA, CH-Gland Printing: Artgraphic Cavin SA, CH-Grandson 74 75 Rapp. WU17/WU19•Couverture.indd 2 30.09.10 11:40 enGlish secTiOn introduction The third fi nal tournament of the And, once again, two swiss foot- Another break with tradition european Women’s under-17 ballers acted as ambassadors for occurred on the goalscoring front, championship was, like the fi rst the event: yverdon Féminin and where, in sharp contrast to the two, staged at the colovray switzerland defender caroline 2009 total of 18, 4 matches pro- stadium opposite ueFA’s head- Abbé and another swiss interna- duced 7 goals – one fewer than quarters in nyon. Once again, tional defender, Johan djourou, the individual tally registered by the proximity allowed admin- who, before joining Arsenal Fc, German striker Kyra Malinowski istrative and logistical issues had started his career as a youth a year earlier. As a consequence to be resolved on the spot by player on the outskirts of Geneva of no player contributing more ueFA staff, many of whom also at etoile carouge. than one goal, the customary played a variety of roles at ‘top scorers’ chart does not the tournament on a voluntary however, the ‘once again’ appear in this report. This sug- basis. some 80 staff members sequence was truncated when gests that the upper echelons were involved on the fi nal day the ball started rolling. The of women’s under-17 football of the tournament and contrib- Germans, conclusive winners of are becoming increasingly uted to a festive mood and a the two previous editions, were competitive. real grassroots environment in eliminated at the semi-fi nal stage, which young football fans could allowing a new name to be en- The bronze-medal match was feel at home. The event attracted graved on the trophy. Germany given greater relevance by decid- a cumulative audience of just and spain, the fi nalists in 2009, ing europe’s third contestant at over 3,500 spectators. Once had qualifi ed for the 2010 fi nals, the FiFA u-17 Women’s World again, schools, local authorities, but they were joined by two new- cup scheduled to kick-off in Trini- tourist offi ces, the press and a comers: the netherlands and dad and Tobago just over two radio station helped to promote the Republic of ireland, bringing months later. an event at which match tick- the total number of national ets, tournament programmes asso ciations to have competed and commemorative T-shirts in the fi nal tournament to eight. were distributed free of charge. Once again, the fi nal was televised by eurosport. Smiling Spanish players savour the sweet taste of a gold medal after taking the UEFA Under-17 title for the fi rst time. 02 03 Rapport WU17/WU19•2010.indd 3 30.09.10 08:45 EUROPEAN WOMEN’S UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP SWITZERLAND 2010 Spanish keeper Dolores Gallardo blocks the fi rst Irish penalty in the shoot-out, taken by late extra- time substitute Rianna Jarrett. sAMPedRO, sPOT KicKs And sPAin cloudless skies and merciless heat seemed more appropriate for to glory in South Africa, while Noel King the Mediterranean than lake Geneva. And, as the teams lined up at preferred a compact 4-4-2 formation, the colovray stadium in nyon, there was another eyebrow-raising whose components set out to demonstrate element: there was not a German shirt to be seen. having eliminated that victory over Germany had been the two-time champions in the semi-fi nals, it was the green-shirted no accident. A well-organised midfi eld moved sweetly from side to side like irish who faced the red-shirted spaniards with, between them, a barley in the breeze to squeeze spaces Russian referee sporting, to match her shirt, a yellow whistle which for the ball carrier and to encourage was exchanged for a red version at half-time. opponents to attempt long passes alien to Spain’s footballing culture. For almost On the benches, the Republic of half an hour, the goalkeepers’ workloads Ireland coach, Noel King, in white were restricted to dealing with back shirt and tie, contrasted with the blue passes. Irish industry and discipline were tracksuit of Jorge Vilda, who was equal to Spanish skill and improvisation writing a paragraph in footballing in what was a fascinating contest. history by having next to him his father Angel, who had led Spain Suddenly, however, Spain fi red two at the women’s Under-19 fi nals a warning shots. For the fi rst time, the Irish few weeks earlier. To complete a defence was second best in a one-on-one footballing rainbow, Irish striker situation, with Sara Mérida turning past Stacie Donnelly took to the her opponent on the left and delivering a fi eld with a violet cross to two team-mates who had found streak in her hair. space between the central defenders. Fortunately for the Irish, Laura Gutiérrez Colour schemes be- couldn’t get far enough off the ground came irrelevant when the and her header fl ew high. Within a ball started rolling on minute, a trademark Spanish combina- the sun-baked pitch. tion move involving a cheeky backheel The Spaniards de- by Amanda Sampedro set Iraia Pérez ployed the 4-2-3-1 free on the right and her low cutback left structure which Raquel Pinel hammering the turf with her was taking fi sts after she had side-footed high from their senior seven metres. The Irish, realising that the Megan Campbell, scorer of the goal that allowed the men’s team energy-sapping heat was begin- Republic of Ireland to defeat Germany in the semi- ning to take a toll, were con- fi nals, shifts her body weight to withstand a challenge by Spain’s Raquel Pinel during the fi nal. tent to head for the dressing rooms on even terms. Rapport WU17/WU19•2010.indd 4 30.09.10 08:45 When play restarted after the inter- to her left and palm the ball away for goals, the title was to be decided from val, the question was whether the a corner – her fi rst save of the match the penalty mark. green-shirted midfi elders could sustain proving crucial. Live-wire Sampedro suffi ciently high levels of endeavour to still had time to hit a cross from the First to place the ball was Spain’s continue to break up Spain’s increas- left against the Irish post following a central midfi elder Sara Mérida. Grace ingly effective combination moves partially cleared corner, but collective Moloney, diving to her left, got a hand which allowed them to take on the Irish endeavours by the spirited Irish unit pre- to the ball but failed to prevent it from defence in one-on-one situations, espe- vented Spanish dominance from being rolling into the net. Rianna Jarrett, the cially on the fl anks, where Iraia Pérez translated into goals. The fi nal whistle Irish team’s 97th-minute substitute, and Alexia Putellas were beginning to was the signal for reds and greens to then saw Dolores Gallardo fl y to her stretch the back four. Symptoms of Irish sink to the ground and ask for cramp- left to save comfortably and when the fatigue provided the cue for attacking preventing stretching exercises before Spanish keeper fl ew the other way midfi elder Amanda Sampedro to take 20 gruelling minutes of extra time, to palm away the second by Jessica centre stage. The Spanish captain was during which Spain dominated play but Gleeson, the writing was on the wall. celebrating her birthday – and she was fatigue was the dominating factor. Although Ciara O’Brien stroked the determined to celebrate in style. Start- greens’ third spot kick into the centre ing from central positions behind the During the eight minutes before she of the net with amazing aplomb, the main striker, Raquel Pinel, Sampedro was replaced, left-winger Alexia Putel - Spaniards were implacable. When left- made a series of darting runs on the las twice turned past the full-back – but back Ana María Català hit her team’s right that created confusion in the Irish no team-mate could make it into the fourth penalty high into the Irish net, the box and, when she switched to the left, right place at the right time to meet her Spanish players raced onto the fi eld, a right-footed delivery to the far post crosses. Sara Mérida had a free-kick victory recharging exhausted batteries. was narrowly missed by Pinel. palmed away for a corner and, with The Irish goalkeeper, Grace Moloney, three minutes on the clock, Noel King grounded in the goalmouth, paralysed Noel King’s team was sent further onto had no alternative but to by disappointment, was consoled by the back foot when left-back Megan substitute Aileen Gilroy, Amanda Sampedro, who, having been Campbell, whose free-kick had defeat- exhausted by her unfl ag- on the losing side against Germany ed Germany, took the full impact of a ging efforts on the right a year earlier, was familiar with the cross in the face and, after going down fl ank of the Irish midfi eld.