Germany make serene progress

Germany and the Republic of Ireland comfortably progressed through to the Elite round of the 2004/05 UEFA European Under-17 Championship as both remained unbeaten in Group 3 to clinch the top two places in the section.

Seven points
Mini-tournament hosts Germany won the group with seven points from their three games, two more than the Irish mustered. Iceland finished in third place have managed two points, with Lithuania bottom.

Opening draw
Iceland and Ireland began their respective campaigns in solid fashion, taking a point each from a 1-1 draw in Sternberg's Stadion am See in the opening round of matches. Anthony Stokes gave the Irish a 30th-minute lead, but the advantage proved to be short-lived as Birkir Bjarnason restored parity within four minutes.

Four-goal success
Germany fully exploited that result to take control of the section thanks to a comfortable 4-0 win against Lithuania at Stadion am See in Parchim, with Marco Rummenigge opening the scoring after five minutes. Fabio Dell'Era made it two three minutes into the second half, Oskar Schmieder added a third two minutes past the hour and Manuel Konrad scored a fourth and final goal two minutes from time.

Point each
Both games on Matchday 2 ended all square, with Lithuania holding Iceland 2-2 in Neustadt-Glewe. Gediminas Zubernis opened the scoring at Stadion der Lederwerkerx in the second minute only for goals from Bjarni Thor Vidarsson and Thorvaldur Sveinsson to turn the match in Iceland's favour. Zubernis scored his second of the match five minutes from time, however, to earn Lithuania a point.

Stokes strikes
It also finished level at the Tschentiner Strasse stadium in Ludwigslust, Sebastian Tyrala giving Germany the lead in the final seconds of the first half and Stokes striking back for Ireland in the 67th minute.

Glockner goal
Germany wrapped up the section in the third and final round of matches, with Andreas Glockner's strike midway through the first half enough to defeat Iceland, although Germany ended the match with ten men following the dismissal of substitute Timo Waslikowski in the final minute.

Five-star Ireland
Ireland confirmed their progress in more emphatic style, brushing aside Lithuania 5-0 at the Waldstadion in Grabow. Alan Judge opened the scoring in the 14th minute, Eddie Nolan made it two from the penalty spot three minutes before the interval and Stokes twice and Judge again all found the net in the second period.