U-21 European Football Championship 2000 / qualification

On the qualification for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2000 to 47 national teams involved and identified participants for the final round, in the period 27 May to 4 June 2000 in Slovakia was held.

The qualifying games in the ten qualifying groups started on September 4, 1998 and ended on October 9, 1999. The play-offs for a place in the finals were played in November 1999.

The performance of the German-speaking nations was disappointing. Both Germany and Switzerland were able to achieve second places in their groups, but were not among the seven best runner-ups who were qualified for playoffs for the finals. Austria even dropped out as the bottom of the group.

mode

The 47 national teams were drawn into nine groups - seven groups of five teams and two groups of six teams. The national selections had to play their encounters with two legs. The nine group winners (marked in yellow) and the seven best runners-up (green) were qualified for the playoffs for entry into the finals. These then determined the eight participants in the final round in the first and second leg.

Attendees

Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4	Group 5
Denmark	Albania	Germany	Armenia	Bulgaria
Italy	Georgia	Finland	France	England
Switzerland	Greece	Moldova	Iceland	Luxembourg
Wales	Latvia	Northern Ireland	Russia	Poland
Belarus	Norway	Turkey	Ukraine	Sweden
	Slovenia

 

Group 6	Group 7	Group 8	Group 9
Israel	Azerbaijan	Ireland	Belgium
Netherlands	Portugal	Croatia	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Austria	Romania	Malta	Estonia
Spain	Slovakia	North Macedonia	Lithuania
Cyprus	Hungary	Yugoslavia	Scotland
			Czech Republic

Performance of the German-speaking teams

Germany

With a 0: 2 defeat in Turkey, Germany started in qualifying group 3. After a 2: 0 victory in Moldova, the second defeat followed in Northern Ireland with 0: 1. After the away game in Finland was lost 3-1, there was a real final in the last home game against Turkey, which Germany had to win by three goals. Marcel Ketelaer ( Borussia Mönchengladbach ) brought his team into the lead in the 13th minute in front of 8,000 spectators in Augsburg , but after that the best opportunities to increase the lead remained unused. After the break, Germany not only lost Marcel Maltritz ( VfL Wolfsburg ) after a yellow-red card, but also team boss Hannes Löhr , who had to go into the stands after a dispute with the assistant referee. Turkey finally scored through Erhan (69th minute) the much-acclaimed equalizer of around 5,000 compatriots for the 1-1 draw. Germany could not even qualify as one of the best runners-up for the playoffs for entry into the finals.

Austria

The Austrians' performance in qualifying group 7 was like a sporting fiasco. The first home game against Israel was lost 1-0, before a disgraceful 2-1 defeat in Cyprus followed. The series of defeats continued in the other games, so that with only one win - in the last home game Cyprus was defeated 3-0 - Austria only occupied the last place in the group. Group winners were Spain ahead of the Netherlands, both of which qualified for the play-offs for a place in the finals.

Switzerland

Switzerland had to compete in qualifying group 1 against group favorites Italy and had to admit defeat 0: 1. After home wins over Denmark (2-0) and Wales (1-0), a home draw (0-0) against Italy followed. This was followed by a bitter 1-0 defeat in Belarus and later a disappointing 0-0 at group bottom Wales, which ultimately cost qualification for the playoffs for the finals.

Qualification groups

Group 1

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1998	Belarus	0: 2	Denmark
4th September 1998	Wales	1: 2	Italy
October 9, 1998	Denmark	2: 2	Wales
October 9, 1998	Italy	1-0	Switzerland
October 13, 1998	Switzerland	2-0	Denmark
October 13, 1998	Wales	0-0	Belarus
March 26, 1999	Denmark	1: 2	Italy
March 30, 1999	Switzerland	1-0	Wales
March 31, 1999	Italy	4: 1	Belarus
June 4, 1999	Denmark	2-0	Belarus
June 4, 1999	Italy	6: 2	Wales
June 8, 1999	Wales	1: 2	Denmark
June 10, 1999	Switzerland	0-0	Italy
August 18, 1999	Belarus	1-0	Switzerland
September 3, 1999	Belarus	1-0	Wales
September 3, 1999	Denmark	1: 3	Switzerland
September 7, 1999	Switzerland	2: 1	Belarus
September 8, 1999	Italy	3: 1	Denmark
October 8, 1999	Belarus	1: 2	Italy
October 8, 1999	Wales	0-0	Switzerland

 

Final result group 1
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Italy	8th	7th	1	0	20: 07	+13	22nd
2.	Switzerland	8th	4th	2	2	08: 04	+4	14th
3.	Denmark	8th	3	1	4th	11:13	−2	10
4th	Belarus	8th	2	1	5	05:12	−7	7th
5.	Wales	8th	0	3	5	06:14	−8	3

Group 2

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1998	Georgia	0: 1	Albania
5th September 1998	Norway	2-0	Latvia
5th September 1998	Greece	2: 2	Slovenia
October 9, 1998	Latvia	1: 2	Georgia
October 9, 1998	Slovenia	1: 3	Norway
October 13, 1998	Greece	3: 2	Georgia
October 13, 1998	Norway	4: 1	Albania
October 14, 1998	Slovenia	0: 1	Latvia
November 17, 1998	Albania	0: 5	Greece
March 26, 1999	Greece	2: 1	Norway
March 27, 1999	Georgia	0-0	Slovenia
March 30, 1999	Latvia	0: 2	Greece
April 28, 1999	Georgia	0: 3	Norway
April 28, 1999	Latvia	0-0	Albania
May 30, 1999	Norway	0-0	Georgia
June 4, 1999	Georgia	1: 1	Greece
June 4, 1999	Albania	1: 2	Norway
June 5, 1999	Latvia	1: 1	Slovenia
June 8, 1999	Albania	1: 1	Slovenia
June 8, 1999	Greece	6-0	Latvia
August 17, 1999	Slovenia	3: 1	Albania
September 3, 1999	Norway	2: 1	Greece
September 4, 1999	Slovenia	2: 2	Georgia
September 4, 1999	Albania	1: 1	Latvia
September 7, 1999	Georgia	4: 2	Latvia
September 7, 1999	Norway	3-0	Slovenia
September 7, 1999	Greece	5: 2	Albania
October 8, 1999	Slovenia	0: 5	Greece
October 8, 1999	Latvia	2: 1	Norway
October 8, 1999	Albania	0-0	Georgia

 

Final result group 2
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Greece	10	7th	2	1	32:10	+22	23
2.	Norway	10	7th	1	2	21: 08	+13	22nd
3.	Georgia	10	2	5	3	11:13	−2	11
4th	Latvia	10	2	3	5	08:19	−11	9
5.	Slovenia	10	1	5	4th	10:19	−9	8th
6th	Albania	10	1	4th	5	08:21	−13	7th

Group 3

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1998	Turkey	2-0	Northern Ireland
4th September 1998	Finland	1-0	Moldova
October 9, 1998	Turkey	2-0	Germany
October 9, 1998	Northern Ireland	1: 1	Finland
October 13, 1998	Moldova	0: 2	Germany
October 13, 1998	Turkey	1: 1	Finland
November 17, 1998	Northern Ireland	1: 1	Moldova
March 26, 1999	Turkey	2-0	Moldova
March 26, 1999	Northern Ireland	1-0	Germany
March 30, 1999	Moldova	0-0	Northern Ireland
March 30, 1999	Germany	2-0	Finland
June 3, 1999	Germany	2-0	Moldova
June 4, 1999	Finland	0-0	Turkey
June 8, 1999	Moldova	1: 1	Finland
September 3, 1999	Finland	3: 1	Germany
September 3, 1999	Northern Ireland	1: 2	Turkey
September 7, 1999	Moldova	1: 1	Turkey
September 7, 1999	Germany	1-0	Northern Ireland
October 8, 1999	Germany	1: 1	Turkey
October 8, 1999	Finland	2: 1	Northern Ireland

 

Final result group 3
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Turkey	8th	4th	4th	0	11: 04	+7	16
2.	Germany	8th	4th	1	3	09: 07	+2	13
3.	Finland	8th	3	4th	1	09: 07	+2	13
4th	Northern Ireland	8th	1	3	4th	05: 09	−4	6th
5.	Moldova	8th	0	4th	4th	03:10	−7	4th

Group 4

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1998	Ukraine	1-0	Russia
5th September 1998	Iceland	0: 2	France
October 10, 1998	Armenia	3: 1	Iceland
October 10, 1998	Russia	2: 1	France
October 13, 1998	Ukraine	8-0	Armenia
October 14, 1998	Iceland	1: 2	Russia
March 26, 1999	France	4-0	Ukraine
March 27, 1999	Armenia	0: 2	Russia
March 30, 1999	Ukraine	5: 1	Iceland
March 31, 1999	France	3: 1	Armenia
June 5, 1999	Iceland	2-0	Armenia
June 5, 1999	France	2-0	Russia
June 8, 1999	Armenia	1: 1	Ukraine
June 9, 1999	Russia	3-0	Iceland
September 3, 1999	Ukraine	0-0	France
September 4, 1999	Russia	6-0	Armenia
September 7, 1999	Iceland	4: 1	Ukraine
September 8, 1999	Armenia	1: 4	France
October 9, 1999	France	2-0	Iceland
October 9, 1999	Russia	2-0	Ukraine

 

Final result group 4
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	France	8th	6th	1	1	18: 04	+14	19th
2.	Russia	8th	6th	0	2	17: 05	+12	18th
3.	Ukraine	8th	3	2	3	16:12	+4	11
4th	Iceland	8th	2	0	6th	09:18	−9	6th
5.	Armenia	8th	1	1	6th	06:27	−21	4th

Group 5

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1998	Sweden	0: 2	England
5th September 1998	Bulgaria	2: 2	Poland
October 9, 1998	Poland	5-0	Luxembourg
October 9, 1998	England	1-0	Bulgaria
October 13, 1998	Bulgaria	2: 1	Sweden
October 13, 1998	Luxembourg	0: 5	England
March 26, 1999	Sweden	3-0	Luxembourg
March 26, 1999	England	5-0	Poland
March 30, 1999	Poland	2-0	Sweden
March 30, 1999	Luxembourg	0: 3	Bulgaria
June 4, 1999	Poland	3: 3	Bulgaria
June 4, 1999	England	3-0	Sweden
June 8, 1999	Bulgaria	0: 1	England
June 8, 1999	Luxembourg	0: 4	Poland
September 3, 1999	Sweden	1: 4	Bulgaria
September 3, 1999	England	5-0	Luxembourg
September 7, 1999	Poland	3: 1	England
September 7, 1999	Luxembourg	0: 1	Sweden
October 8, 1999	Sweden	1: 2	Poland
October 9, 1999	Bulgaria	3-0	Luxembourg

 

Final result group 5
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	England	8th	7th	0	1	23: 03	+20	21st
2.	Poland	8th	5	2	1	21:12	+9	17th
3.	Bulgaria	8th	4th	2	2	17: 09	+8	14th
4th	Sweden	8th	2	0	6th	07:15	−8	6th
5.	Luxembourg	8th	0	0	8th	00:29	−29	0

Group 6

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1998	Austria	0: 1	Israel
4th September 1998	Cyprus	1: 3	Spain
October 9, 1998	Cyprus	2: 1	Austria
October 9, 1998	Netherlands	3-0	Israel
October 13, 1998	Israel	0: 4	Spain
October 14, 1998	Netherlands	3: 2	Austria
February 9, 1999	Cyprus	0: 3	Netherlands
March 26, 1999	Spain	4-0	Austria
March 27, 1999	Israel	1: 1	Cyprus
March 30, 1999	Netherlands	0: 1	Spain
April 28, 1999	Austria	0: 1	Netherlands
June 4, 1999	Spain	4: 1	Netherlands
June 5, 1999	Israel	2: 1	Austria
June 9, 1999	Netherlands	5: 1	Cyprus
September 3, 1999	Austria	1: 2	Spain
September 4, 1999	Cyprus	1: 1	Israel
September 7, 1999	Israel	0: 1	Netherlands
September 7, 1999	Spain	1: 1	Cyprus
October 9, 1999	Austria	3-0	Cyprus
October 9, 1999	Spain	2: 1	Israel

 

Final result group 6
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Spain	8th	7th	1	0	21: 05	+16	22nd
2.	Netherlands	8th	6th	0	2	17: 08	+9	18th
3.	Israel	8th	2	2	4th	06:13	−7	8th
4th	Cyprus	8th	1	3	4th	07:18	−11	6th
5.	Austria	8th	1	0	7th	08:15	−7	3

Group 7

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1998	Slovakia	2: 1	Azerbaijan
5th September 1998	Hungary	0: 3	Portugal
October 9, 1998	Azerbaijan	2: 1	Hungary
October 9, 1998	Portugal	1: 1	Romania
October 13, 1998	Slovakia	1-0	Portugal
October 13, 1998	Hungary	1: 2	Romania
March 25, 1999	Portugal	5-0	Azerbaijan
March 26, 1999	Romania	0: 1	Slovakia
March 30, 1999	Azerbaijan	0: 2	Romania
March 30, 1999	Slovakia	4: 1	Hungary
June 4, 1999	Romania	2: 1	Hungary
June 4, 1999	Portugal	1: 1	Slovakia
June 8, 1999	Romania	1: 1	Azerbaijan
June 8, 1999	Hungary	3-0	Slovakia
September 2, 1999	Azerbaijan	0: 2	Portugal
September 3, 1999	Slovakia	0-0	Romania
September 7, 1999	Romania	2: 3	Portugal
September 7, 1999	Hungary	4: 1	Azerbaijan
October 8, 1999	Azerbaijan	0: 3	Slovakia
October 8, 1999	Portugal	2: 1	Hungary

 

Final result group 7
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Slovakia	8th	5	2	1	12: 06	+6	17th
2.	Portugal	8th	5	2	1	17: 06	+11	17th
3.	Romania	8th	3	3	2	10: 08	+2	12
4th	Hungary	8th	2	0	6th	12:16	−4	6th
5.	Azerbaijan	8th	1	1	6th	05:20	−15	4th

Group 8

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1998	Ireland	2: 2	Croatia
September 6, 1998	North Macedonia	1-0	Malta
October 9, 1998	Malta	0: 3	Croatia
October 13, 1998	Ireland	2: 1	Malta
October 14, 1998	Croatia	4-0	North Macedonia
November 17, 1998	Malta	5: 1	North Macedonia
November 18, 1998	Yugoslavia	1: 1	Ireland
February 9, 1999	Malta	1: 5	Yugoslavia
June 5, 1999	North Macedonia	0: 2	Croatia
June 8, 1999	Yugoslavia	7-0	Malta
June 8, 1999	Ireland	03: 0 *	North Macedonia
August 17, 1999	Yugoslavia	2: 6	Croatia
August 21, 1999	Croatia	1-0	Malta
August 31, 1999	Ireland	0: 2	Yugoslavia
September 3, 1999	Croatia	5: 1	Ireland
September 4, 1999	Yugoslavia	2-0	North Macedonia
September 7, 1999	North Macedonia	0: 8	Yugoslavia
September 7, 1999	Malta	1: 3	Ireland
October 8, 1999	North Macedonia	0: 1	Ireland
October 8, 1999	Croatia	2: 2	Yugoslavia

 

Final result group 8
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Croatia	8th	6th	2	0	25: 07	+18	20th
2.	Yugoslavia	8th	5	2	1	29:10	+19	17th
3.	Ireland	8th	4th	2	2	13:12	+1	14th
4th	Malta	8th	1	0	7th	08:23	−15	3
5.	North Macedonia	8th	1	0	7th	02:25	−23	3

Group 9

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1998	Lithuania	0-0	Scotland
4th September 1998	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3: 2	Estonia
4th September 1998	Belgium	0: 2	Czech Republic
October 7, 1998	Lithuania	0: 1	Belgium
October 9, 1998	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0-0	Czech Republic
October 9, 1998	Scotland	2-0	Estonia
October 13, 1998	Lithuania	4-0	Bosnia and Herzegovina
October 13, 1998	Czech Republic	3-0	Estonia
October 14, 1998	Belgium	2-0	Scotland
November 18, 1998	Scotland	2: 2	Belgium
March 26, 1999	Czech Republic	1-0	Lithuania
March 30, 1999	Lithuania	4: 1	Estonia
March 30, 1999	Scotland	0: 1	Czech Republic
April 28, 1999	Belgium	4-0	Bosnia and Herzegovina
June 4, 1999	Estonia	0: 3	Czech Republic
June 4, 1999	Bosnia and Herzegovina	1: 2	Lithuania
June 8, 1999	Czech Republic	3: 2	Scotland
June 8, 1999	Estonia	0: 2	Lithuania
August 17, 1999	Estonia	1: 7	Belgium
September 3, 1999	Lithuania	0: 2	Czech Republic
September 3, 1999	Belgium	5-0	Estonia
September 4, 1999	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2: 5	Scotland
September 7, 1999	Czech Republic	1-0	Bosnia and Herzegovina
September 7, 1999	Estonia	0: 4	Scotland
September 7, 1999	Belgium	3-0	Lithuania
September 22, 1999	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3: 4	Belgium
October 5, 1999	Scotland	2-0	Bosnia and Herzegovina
October 8, 1999	Scotland	1: 2	Lithuania
October 8, 1999	Estonia	0: 2	Bosnia and Herzegovina
October 8, 1999	Czech Republic	1: 3	Belgium

 

Final result group 9
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Belgium	10	8th	1	1	31: 09	+22	25th
2.	Czech Republic	10	8th	1	1	17: 05	+12	25th
3.	Lithuania	10	5	1	4th	14:10	+4	16
4th	Scotland	10	4th	2	4th	18:12	+6	14th
5.	Bosnia and Herzegovina	10	2	1	7th	11:24	−13	7th
6th	Estonia	10	0	0	10	04:35	−31	0

Playoffs for a place in the finals

The nine group winners and the seven best runners-up in the qualifying groups were eligible to participate in the play-offs for entry into the final round.

Fixtures
date	Home team	Result	Away team
November 12, 1999	Poland	2: 1	Turkey
Wronki	Goals: 1-0 (31st) Wichniarek, 2-0 (71st) Glowacki (Penalty), 2: 1 (82nd) ​​Albaurak (Penalty)
November 16, 1999	Turkey	1-0	Poland
Izmir	Goals: 1-0 (16.) Ahmet Dursun
Newcomers: Turkey with an overall result of 2-2 due to the away goal rule
November 13, 1999	Norway	1: 3	Spain
Oslo	Goals: 1-0 (45th) Carew (penalty), 1: 1 (59.) Xavi, 1: 2 (80.) Farinos (penalty), 1: 3 (83.) Gerard
November 16, 1999	Spain	4-0	Norway
Santander	Goals: 1-0 (6th) Tamudo, 2-0 (43rd) Gerard, 3-0 (73rd) Luque, 4-0 (78th) Ferron
Newcomers: Spain with an overall result of 7-1
November 13, 1999	Netherlands	2: 2	Belgium
Heerenveen	Goals: 1: 0 (39th) Knopper, 1: 1 (62nd) Roussel, 1: 2 (68th) vd Handenhoven, 2: 2 (78th) Bouma
November 17, 1999	Belgium	0: 2	Netherlands
Mouscron	Goals: 0: 1 (27th) Cairo, 0: 2 (45th) Bruggink
Newcomers: Netherlands with an overall result of 4-2
November 13, 1999	Russia	0: 1	Slovakia
Moscow	Goals: 0-1 (66th) Czinege
November 17, 1999	Slovakia	3: 1	Russia
Bratislava	Goals: 1-0 (51st) Barcik, 2-0 (67th) Nemeth, 3-0 (74th) Vyskoc, 3: 1 (90th) Savelyev
Newcomers: Slovakia with an overall result of 4: 1
November 13, 1999	Portugal	2-0	Croatia
Faro	Goals: 1-0 (35th) Luis Boa Morte, 2-0 (80th) Luis Boa Morte
November 17, 1999	Croatia	3: 0 (n.V.)	Portugal
Zagreb	Goals: 1-0 (38th) Simic, 2-0 (40th) Deranja, 3-0 (99th) Balaban
Newcomers: Croatia with an overall result of 3-2 (after extra time)
November 13, 1999	Czech Republic	3-0	Greece
Teplice	Goals: 1-0 (45th) Sionko, 2-0 (71st) Sionko, 3-0 (82nd) ​​Baros
November 17, 1999	Greece	1-0	Czech Republic
Heraklion	Goals: 1: 0 (27.) Konstandindis
Newcomers: Czech Republic with an overall result of 3: 1
November 14, 1999	France	1: 1	Italy
Créteil	Goals: 0: 1 (49th) Ventola, 1: 1 (61st) Maoulida
November 17, 1999	Italy	2: 1 (n.V.)	France
Tarent	Goals: 0: 1 (2nd) Henry, 1: 1 (59th) Commandini, 2: 1 (110th) Pirlo
Newcomers: Italy with an aggregate result of 3-2 (after extra time)
November 14, 1999	England	n / A	Yugoslavia
Luxembourg	Goals: The game was canceled for security reasons
March 29, 2000	England	3-0	Yugoslavia
Barcelona	Gates: ?
Because of the Yugoslavia crisis, the qualification was played in just one game on a neutral pitch
Newcomer: England

Finalists

The following nations qualified for the finals of the 15th U-21 European Football Championship 2002 , which was held in Slovakia from May 27th to June 4th, 2000 :

Group A	Group B
Croatia	England
Netherlands	Italy
Spain	Slovakia
Czech Republic	Turkey

Web links

• UEFA: Official website of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Individual evidence

1. ^ Spiegel online (article from October 9, 1999): The lost year (accessed December 22, 2008)