Hosts Serbia frustrated by Finland
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
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Serbia 1-1 Finland
Adem Ljajić's second-half equaliser was not enough for the Group 1 hosts to open the mini-tournament with a victory in Subotica.
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Hosts Serbia were forced to settle for a draw in their first UEFA European Under-19 Championship Elite round Group 1 fixture against an obdurate Finland side in Subotica.
Early setback
Aleksandar Stanojević's side had scored 12 goals in winning all three of their qualifying round fixtures, yet they suffered an early shock at the Gradski Stadium when Teemu Pukki gave Finland a sixth-minute lead. Although Adem Ljajić, scoring for the third competitive U19 fixture in a row, brought Serbia back on level terms four minutes after half-time, the mini-tournament hosts were unable to find a winner and next face Austria – 3-2 winners against the Finns' next opponents, Hungary, in the other Matchday 1 fixture – on Thursday.