UEFA Route de Genève 46 CH-1260 Nyon 2 Union des associations Switzerland européennes de football Telephone +41 848 00 27 27 UEFA.com Rapp. U17/U19_Couv.indd 1 15.10.10 15:07 contents european under-17 championship liechtenstein 2010 english section 3 partie française 13 deutscher teil 23 statistics 33 impressum european This publication is produced by UEFA Editorial Team: under-19 championship Andy Roxburgh (UEFA Technical Director) Graham Turner france 2010 Pictures: Brian Lawless (U17) / Pat Murphy (U17) / Stephan McCarthy (U19) / Paul Mohan (U19) – Sportsfile english section 49 Production Team: André Vieli Dominique Maurer partie française 59 Acknowledgements and thanks Technical Observers Ross Mathie (U17) deutscher teil 69 Bernd Stöber (U17) Jarmo Matikainen (U19) Marc Van Geersom (U19) statistics 79 Ole Andersen (Graphics) Hélène Fors (Administration) UEFA Language Services Setting: Atema Communication SA, CH-Gland Printing: Artgraphic Cavin SA, CH-Grandson 94 95 Rapp. U17/U19_Couv.indd 2 15.10.10 15:07 ENGLISH SECTION Introduction The 9th European Under-17 modated in as many hotels. In the two pitches provided good Championship fi nals provided the cases of three of the four playing surfaces from the fi rst a marked contrast with the semi-fi nalists, this entailed a whistle to the last. previous year’s tournament. change of hotel at the end of the Whereas the event in Germany group phase. However, distances The fi nal tournament in Liechten- had registered record attend- within the principality were so stein retained elements which ances and had been played at small that they represented no have become regular features a dozen venues, the 2010 fi nals inconveniences. The organisa- in recent years, such as the were hosted within very differ- tion and the training facilities pre-tournament briefi ng of the ent parameters by one of UEFA’s received unanimous praise from participating teams by referee smaller member associations. the competing teams. observers and members of the The principality of Liechtenstein UEFA Referees Committee, the covers an area of 160 square After a cool, rainy start, the input of data into UEFA’s ongo- kilometres and a cumulative weather was kind to the tourna- ing injury research project and attendance for the 15 matches ment. Indeed, the high tempera- the anti-doping education ses- of 20,968 is eminently respect- tures and fast-drying playing sions aimed at warning young able if measured against Liech- surfaces were players of the dangers inherent tenstein’s modest population of not to every- in prohibited substances as they 35,000. The 14 matches leading body’s liking embark on their international up to the fi nal were also played on the third careers. The novel features as double-headers at two venues matchday of the fi nals in Liechten- in Eschen-Mauren and the capital and it was stein were similar ses- of the principality, Vaduz, where something sions, conducted team stadium capacities were 2,000 of a relief by team, where the and 6,127 respectively. For the to the semi- objective was to fi rst time, the host association fi nalists that cooler, alert the teenag- was not represented on the fi eld damper condi- ers to the danger of play. tions prevailed, to sport posed by with heavier those who pervert The logistics of the tournament rain over the footballing values also differed substantially from weekend of the via attempts to previous events. For example, fi nal. Despite fi x the results the eight fi nalists were accom- the workload, of matches. On and off the pitch, the 2010 fi nals therefore represented an important extension of the learning curve of the players entering the lowest age bracket of UEFA’s national team competitions. Conor Coady is understandably jubilant as, at the Rheinpark Stadion in Liechtenstein, he becomes the fi rst England captain to lift the UEFA Under-17 trophy. 040024 050305 Rapport U17-U19•2010.indd 3 15.10.10 16:01 THE ROUTE TO THE FINAL The fact that fi ve of the fi nalists in Liech- was red-carded four minutes after com- best harmonies, the Portuguese couldn’t tenstein had been in Germany a year ing on as a substitute. This time, how- fi nd a knockout blow to match the qual- earlier gives a misleading impression ever, the team showed greater mental ity of their footwork. They were fl oored of continuity. Three of the four 2009 resilience in maintaining their one-goal by two pieces of individual brilliance semi-fi nalists failed to qualify for the advantage. On the other hand, another by FC Barcelona winger Gerard Deulo- 2010 fi nals, with Switzerland providing dismissal during added time left Guy feu – the fi rst a recital of solo skills and the exception to the rule. What’s more, Ferrier three players short for the crucial the second a corner from the left curled England, France, Spain and Turkey – game against Switzerland, due to perfectly into the roof of the Portuguese the four teams eliminated during the suspensions. net just inside the far post. group stage of the 2009 fi nals – turned the history book face down by taking At half-time, the odds against conti- Spain may not have been as technically all four semi-fi nal places in 2010. nuity seemed to be stacked against exquisite as some of their Under-17 them. But, trailing to a defl ected Swiss champions of the past, but Ginés In youth development competitions, the free-kick, they moved through the gears Meléndez’s squad was rich in other vir- coaches’ maxim in a three-game group during the second 40 minutes to post a tues – not least the ability to punch their phase is frequently to avoid defeat in 3-1 victory which earned them second weight in attack and score 11 times en the opening fi xture. In Liechtenstein, place at the expense of a Portuguese route to the fi nal. The team also ticked however, the four games played on side which kicked off knowing that all the boxes in terms of persistence the opening matchday all produced victory over Spain would give them top and mental strength, playing their way ‘results’. This put pressure on the los- spot in Group A. Rui Bento’s team had through sticky patches and attaining ob- ers and, in the fi nal reckoning, three opened impressively, with their slick jectives with high degrees of effi ciency. of them were unable to make up the passing movements and trickery in the ground lost in the fi rst match. Again, wide areas harvesting a 3-0 win over The Swiss team, on the other hand, was there was an exception: France. the Swiss. However, they had strug- arguably affected by the high expecta- glgleded ttoo crcreateeate cchanceshances againagainstst tthehe titionsono s dederivedrivev d ffromrom bbecomingecomo ing worworldld GuGuyy FeFerrier’srrieer’r s teteamamm eenjoyednjoyyede tthehee bbetteretter oof ten-ten-manmaan FrFrenchench aand,nd, even chchampions.hampions. 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ThThee ddidismissalsmmisi sal of whwwhichich alallowedlowed opopponentspop nents to ppickick ofofff WeWesleysley YYamnaineaamnaainne wawasas thtthroughrough papassesasss es oorr brbreakeeaak ththroughhroough with ththee ppreludereludde too tthehe fi rstrstst ofof sossoloolo rruns.uns. TThehe rresultessult wawass seset-playet-play goal PaPaco’scoc ’ss ssixix ggoalsoalss iinn thtthee in tthehehe ccreditredid t cocolumnlul mn aandnd a ddebitebit ooff 1010.. totournamentourrnnamennt fi veve minutesminnutes lallater.ater.r AAndndd dduringurinng ththee fofollowingollowing mamatchtch agagainstgaiainnsst PoPPortugal,ortuggal, BiBillelllel OOmranimmrranani During the goalless draw which eliminated both teams, Greek attacker Georgios Katidis is beaten to a high ball by Czech central defender Tomás Kalas, one of the candidates for the UEFA Technical Team Selection. Rapport U17-U19•2010.indd 4 15.10.10 16:01 on keeping a clean sheet against Portugal – even when a man short – and suddenly producing a convincing second 40 minutes after a subdued fi rst half against the Swiss. It was déjà vu against England, with Guy Ferrier lamenting that his team had, during the fi rst half, “played outside our tactical plan, especially in midfi eld”. With Yaya Sanogo confi rming his status as one of the tournament’s most infl uential central strikers, the French enjoyed the SIGNATURE PHOTO SIGNATURE upper hand during the second half and, French striker Yaya Sanogo skips over the challenge by Swiss defender Aleksandar Zarkovic on the run which allowed after the goal by Manchester United him to score for the second time in four minutes and put his side 2-1 up. FC midfi elder Paul Pogba, came close to forcing extra time and obliged the In Group B, the successful teams were place in the tournament’s scoring charts England goalkeeper, Jack Butland, to the ones which won their opening with a tally of six goals. add his name to the list of candidates games – both by a 3-1 margin. In three for UEFA’s select squad. of their fi ve matches, England fought France were the losers of the other back from 1-0 down – a trend which semi-fi nal. They had painted their England survived and prevailed.