© EuroFootball.com
On the third and final day of the 8th UEFA Youth Conference in Cyprus, the drawings for the first stage of the 2007 European Youth (Under-19) Championship qualifying tournament were conducted, revealing the future opponents of the Lithuanian U-19 national team.
Before the drawing, the Lithuanian youth team was placed in Group 12, where they will also play against Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, and Moldova. Meanwhile, the defending champions of the tournament, the French national team, will face Denmark, Finland, and Malta in Group 8.
Two strongest teams from each of the twelve groups, as well as the best third-placed team, will advance to the next stage. Three teams - Spain, Italy, and England, with the highest UEFA coefficient, automatically qualified for the second qualifying stage. In the final stage of the European Championship, which will be held in Austria in 2007, all winners of the second qualifying stage groups will compete, along with the hosts.
First qualifying stage groups
Group 1:
Ukraine
Greece
Kazakhstan
Bulgaria
Group 2:
Israel
Slovenia
Switzerland
Liechtenstein
Group 3:
Netherlands
Ireland
Belarus
Macedonia
Group 4:
Belgium
Georgia
Romania
North Ireland
Group 5:
Russia
Slovakia
Andorra
Albania
Group 6:
Sweden
Poland
Faroe Islands
Iceland
Group 7:
Hungary
Armenia
Cyprus
Azerbaijan
Group 8:
France
Denmark
Finland
Malta
Group 9:
Scotland
Germany
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Estonia
Group 10:
Turkey
Czech Republic
Luxembourg
Wales
Group 11:
Norway
Portugal
San Marino
Latvia
Group 12:
Croatia
Serbia and Montenegro
Lithuania
Moldova
