Fans flock to Polish goal-fest

The 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Championship has only just passed the halfway stage but it is already breaking new ground, attracting big crowds who have been rewarded with some absorbing, attacking football.

Goal glut
Over 15,000 filed into the Stadion Miejski on Tuesday to see hosts Poland suffer a narrow 1-0 defeat by Austria and although many left with a tinge of disappointment, it was a minor lull in an exciting start to the tournament. The three earlier fixtures that day had produced 18 goals, and with the net bulging a further 21 times on matchday two the eight-game old event has yielded an extraordinary 40 goals at an average of five per contest.

Local interest
That compares favourably with the more defence-minded edition in Northern Ireland last summer when the entire 15-match championship saw only six more goals. Swollen by the huge crowd in Poznan for Poland's opener - just short of the U19 record of 16,400 who watched Spain beat Germany in the 2002 final in Oslo - the overall attendance figures are also scaling new peaks. The aggregate opening-day total of 20,500 means this tournament has already surpassed the total 19,500 marker laid down by its 2005 counterpart and another 8,500 turned out for the second round of fixtures.

Intriguing finale
These figures could continue to spiral upwards, especially as all eight teams remain in contention going into Sunday's final group matches. Spain have already qualified as Group B winners but the other semi-final slots are up for grabs, while third place brings significant consolation in the form of a FIFA U-20 World Cup berth. Group A is especially intriguing, with Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Belgium locked on three points. The excitement is set to go on.