Russia rule as Portugal progress

Perfect record
Russia took nine points from three games, defeating the Portuguese in the final round of matches to clinch top spot and leave the 2003 runners-up in second place again. Luxembourg, meanwhile, delighted the home fans on Matchday 3 with a 3-1 success against Azerbaijan to take third position.

Scintillating start
The Portuguese produced a devastating opening 45 minutes against the Azerbaijanis at the Henri Dunant stadium in Beggen, Vitorino Gabriel Pacheco Antunes opening the scoring as early as the fourth minute and making it 3-0 on the half-hour after António Ferreira had got the second. Ruslan Abushev's 39th-minute own goal made it 4-0 and, although Samir Abdulov pulled one back before the break, António Ferreira's second a minute from time completed a fine first win for Carlos Dinis's team.

Russian toil
Russia, meanwhile, did the damage in the second 45 minutes of their match against the mini-tournament hosts at Berbourg's Renert stadium. Luxemborg defended stoutly in the first half, but fell behind three minutes into the second as Irakliy Geperidze broke the deadlock. Even then Russia struggled to kill the game off, and it took until the 83rd minute for the second goal to arrive, Evgueni Gavruk supplying the finish before Geperidze got his second and Russia's third four minutes later.

Three-goal margin
Chugainov's charges also won 3-0 on Matchday 2, Oleg Samsonov making the breakthrough against Azerbaijan in Berbourg in the third minute. Kirill Kombarov doubled up two minutes before the interval and Aleksandr Korotkov capped the victory with a third eight minutes after the restart.

Decisive spell
Portugal picked up yet another 3-0 win - a result that ensured they and the Russians advanced to next year's Elite round - as a 17-minute spell midway through the first half decided their tie with Luxembourg. Hélder Barbosa struck first on 21 minutes, swiftly followed by goals from João Pedro and Felíciano Assunção before the break.

Samsonov strikes
While Luxembourg were beating the Azeris 3-1 to take third place, Portugal and Russia met at the Holleschbierg stadium in Hesperange with pole position at stake. In the event, an early goal settled the contest, Russia midfielder Oleg Samsonov registering in the 14th minute, while Portugal's campaign ended on a sour note as Rui Gomes was red-carded four minutes into added time.