Netherlands come through Croatia showdown

The Netherlands have qualified for the UEFA European Under-17 Championship for the third time in a row after two late goals sealed a tense 3-0 win over Croatia, their rivals for top spot in Elite round Group 3.

Isoufi opener
Last season's semi-finalists went into their last match of the phase both level on points and goal difference with Croatia. Feyenoord attacking midfielder Shabir Isoufi broke the deadlock seven minutes before half-time with a header. The game was in the balance until late on, but Croatia lost Sime Vrsaljko to a red card and after a bad challenge on Oranje forward Oguzhan Özyakup in the area, the Arsenal FC player got up to convert a penalty with four minutes left. Feyenoord forward Luc Castaignos added a third to put the result beyond doubt.

Stuivenberg delighted
Netherlands coach Alfred Stuivenberg pinpointed Isoufi's opener as the decisive moment in the match. "A terrific goal," he said. "Before that we escaped a few times, as Croatia were very dangerous on the counterattack. There was a huge party afterwards. The boys soaked me wet again, but that is all part of it. This is a tremendous result. In the end we really deserved to win." His team enter the draw on 3 April in Leipzig and compete in the finals from 6-18 May in Germany, having qualified for the third straight year under Stuivenberg.