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Young pretenders to stake claim

Ahead of the latest round of qualifying matches, uefa.com looks at the state of play in the eight Under-21 groups.

UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying returns on Tuesday night with Germany and Russia looking to consolidate their hold on qualifying positions.

November play-offs
The top two from each of the eight groups will enter November's two-legged deciders for the eight places in next summer's final tournament - the last in an even year, with subsequent editions due to take place every two years from 2007.

Group 1
Romania's 2-0 victory against Armenia restored their one-point lead over both the Czech Republic and the Netherlands a day after each won to briefly share the top two places. However, the unbeaten Czechs have four games remaining - two more than Romania and one more than the Dutch. Fourth-placed F.Y.R. Macedonia can move to within three points of second with a win against bottom team Finland on Tuesday, but the crunch could come in early September when the Czechs visit Romania, and the Netherlands go to Armenia.

Group 2
Unbeaten Denmark, six points clear of Ukraine and two further points ahead of Greece and Turkey, with a game in hand on all three, will be in the play-offs if they win in Turkey on 2 September. Ukraine, who defeated Greece in their last game, go to Georgia the same day while the Greeks wait four days to go to Kazakhstan, who gained their first-ever points in this tournament by overcoming Turkey on 7 June. Georgia are eight points adrift of Ukraine with two games in hand, the first in Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

Group 3
Portugal have won all seven games and a 5-0 triumph in Estonia last time out ensured a play-off place with three games to spare. In second, Russia lead Slovakia by one point with a game in hand in Latvia on Tuesday. Slovakia go to Latvia on 6 September, the day Russia welcome Portugal, four days after the leaders play winless Luxembourg.

Group 4
Israel lead France by four points, and complete their fixtures in Switzerland on 2 September knowing victory would take them into the play-offs. After that game France and the Swiss, two points off second place, will have three fixtures remaining, with the first for Les Bleus away to the Republic of Ireland, six points behind, on 6 September, when Switzerland visit point-less Cyprus.

Group 5
Holders Italy may have dropped their first points in Norway in June, but lead the Scandinavians by five, with Belarus and Slovenia respectively one and two points further adrift. On 2 September Italy visit bottom team Scotland, Norway go to Slovenia and Belarus are in Moldova, who still have slim hopes.

Group 6
The only game in June saw Poland held by Azerbaijan. England have 14 points, Germany - with a game in hand - eleven - and Poland nine, with Wales and Austria still in with a mathematical chance. Poland welcome Germany on Tuesday in a vital game, and on 2 September England go to Wales, Germany welcome winless Azerbaijan and Poland play Austria.

Group 7
Spain defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina in the most recent fixture to overtake Belgium on goal difference and go a point clear of Serbia and Montenegro. But the teams in second and third have a game in hand on 2 September, Belgium in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Serbo-Montenegrins at home to Lithuania, four days before a crucial fixture in Spain.

Group 8
Croatia have a three-point lead over Sweden and Hungary with Iceland, Bulgaria and Malta a fair distance behind with four games left. On 2 September Hungary welcome Malta and Sweden play Bulgaria, with Croatia in Iceland a day later.

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