Primavera, Futuro players

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Race to U19 finals in Romania gathers pace
Published: Wednesday 27 April 2011, 9.00CET

The UEFA European Under-19 Championship elite round kicks off on Thursday, with 28 teams aiming for seven places alongside hosts Romania in this summer's final tournament.


28 teams, plus hosts Romania, are still in contention to lift the UEFA European Under-19 Championship trophy this year

The 28 teams bidding for a place in the 2010/11 UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals in Romania will be hoping to secure the seven qualifying berths on offer when the elite round kicks off this week.

The hosts are already assured of their final place, and Serbia, Wales, Moldova and Norway will have the first chance to join them when Group 6 gets under way on Thursday, Norway are hosts, with games continuing on Saturday and Tuesday with only the group winners to qualify.

There is then a break before the second of the seven elite round sections, Group 5, kicks off in the Czech Republic on 19 May, with holders France among the four sides in Group 3, which starts the following day. The top team in each of the seven sections qualify for the final tournament, which will be played between 20 July and 1 August.

The curtain comes down on the elite round on 5 June, when Group 2 – featuring four-time winners Spain – and Group 7, which includes 2008 champions Germany, conclude. The draw for the final tournament takes place in Bucharest on 8 June.

Elite round
Group 1 (24-29 May): Belgium, Estonia, Portugal, Croatia*
Group 2 (31 May-5 June): Spain, England, Switzerland*, Montenegro
Group 3 (20-25 May): France (holders), Slovakia*, Belarus, Greece
Group 4 (24-29 May): Italy, Republic of Ireland, Ukraine, Poland*
Group 5 (19-24 May): Netherlands, Russia, Israel, Czech Republic*
Group 6 (28 April-3 May): Serbia, Norway*, Wales, Moldova
Group 7 (31 May-5 June): Germany, Turkey*, Hungary, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

*Hosts

source: http://www.uefa.com/under19/news/newsid=1622368.html

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Beretta brilliance takes Italy past Ukraine
Published: Tuesday 24 May 2011, 20.06CET

Italy 1-0 Ukraine

Giacomo Beretta's overhead kick settled the Group 4 opener in Szczecinek despite Maxym Koval's best efforts.


Giacomo Beretta (right) scored Italy's winner against Ukraine

AC Milan youngster Giacomo Beretta scored with a bicycle kick to give Italy a 1-0 win against Ukraine in their opening UEFA European Under-19 Championship elite round Group 4 game in Szczecinek, Poland.

Beretta, who was handed his Serie A debut at the start of the month, made his mark after 67 minutes, returning the ball with interest after a Ukrainian clearance fell short. Olexander Golovko's side had made a bright start at the OSIR Szczecinek Stadium, but Francesco Bardi denied both Borys Tashchy and Pylyp Budkivskiy in one-on-one situations in the first ten minutes, and it was Maxym Koval who was to be the busier of the two goalkeepers therafter.

Captain Oleksandr Noyok had already hooked a Cristiano Biraghi effort off the line before the FC Dynamo Kyiv custodian was called on to deny Stephan El Shaarawy, first when through on goal and again from a fine 20-metre shot just before the break. Paolo Rozzio blocked a close-range Tashchy shot just after the restart and following Berretta's strike, Budkivskiy passed up a decent chance to equalise when he headed Vladislav Kalitvintsev's cross wide. Having denied substitute Pietro Iemmello at the other end, Koval came up for a late corner as Ukraine fought for an equaliser, but his header was just off target.

source: http://www.uefa.com/under19/matches/seas...index.html

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Italy stride closer to U19 qualification
Published: Thursday 26 May 2011, 22.40CET

Italy 3-1 Poland

A draw against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday will earn Italy a place at the finals after this defeat of the mini-tournament hosts.


Daniele Zoratto's Italy are in pole position to win Group 4

Italy edged closer to a place in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals after a comfortable victory against Poland.

Daniele Zoratto's side lead elite round Group 4 by two points from the Republic of Ireland, who they play on Sunday knowing a draw will be sufficient to secure a berth at July's final tournament in Romania.

Italy immediately took control, opening the scoring on 14 minutes, Mario Sampirisi linking well with Stephan El Shaarawy before driving into the penalty area and slotting the ball into the net. Poland showed good character and hit back six minutes before the break through Michał Żyro.

Poland began the second half in buoyant fashion but were made to rue their lack of fortune in front of goal when Giacomo Beretta fed Nadir Minotti, who finished with aplomb to restore Italy's advantage. With ten minutes remaining, Federico Viviani put the result beyond doubt with a perfectly-placed free-kick.

"It was a difficult match because Poland proved to be a strong opponent," said Zoratto. "We had lot of chances and we were more clinical than Poland. This game cost us a lot of energy, so we have to recover quickly before the decisive match against Ireland."

source: http://www.uefa.com/under19/matches/seas...index.html

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National team coach Zoratto's squad for the qualifiers is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Bardi (Inter), Leali (Brescia);
Defenders: Benedetti (Inter), Camporese (Fiorentina), Biraghi (Inter), Rozzio (Canavese), Piccini (Fiorentina), Sini (Lecce);
Midfielders: Sampirisi (Milan), Romanò (Inter), Crisetig (Inter), Minotti (Atalanta), Viviani (Roma), Ardizzone (Palermo);
Forwards: Carraro (Fiorentina), Iemmello (Fiorentina), El Shaarawy (Padova), Beretta (Milan).

Mario Samparisi:


Samparisi and Beretta played as starter in both games against Ukraine and Poland. Beretta scored 1 goal against Ukraine and provided 1 assist in the game vs Poland.