Nine-man Netherlands hold on

The Netherlands made a winning start to UEFA European Under-17 Championship Elite round Group 3 despite playing most of their match against Azerbaijan with ten men and ending it with nine.

Velder winner
Semi-finalists last season, the Netherlands lost Mats Huijgevoort to a red card on tem minutes but midway through the first half Nigel Velder put Albert Stuivenberg's side ahead. Late on substitute Joeri de Kamps picked up two bookings but the Netherlands held on. "If you end the game with nine players you could hestitate about speaking of a great victory," Stuivenberg said. "If the three points are earned, the players have worked hard." On Saturday the Netherlands play mini-tournament hosts Luxembourg, who lost 2-0 to Azerbaijan's next opponents Croatia.