UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Sweden surge into second stage

Three successive victories sent Sweden into the Elite round as Group 10 winners along with Croatia.

Sweden emerged victorious in all three of their games to comfortably finish top of Group 10 and progress to the next phase of the 2004/05 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, with mini-tournament hosts Croatia joining the Scandinavian side in next year's Elite round.

Romania edged out
Hans Lindbom's team scored nine goals in three games to progress, with the Croatians edging out Romania for second place on goal difference after both sides finished with four points. Liechtenstein ended bottom of the table, conceding 12 goals as all three games ended in defeat for Paul Meier's players.

Swedish turnaround
On Matchday 1 it seemed Sweden would face a tough task as Adrian Cuciula gave Romania a 20th-minute lead at the Valbruna stadium in Rovinj. However, Fredrik Petersson levelled from the penalty spot within nine minutes and Ola Toivonen pounced in the last minute to score a second and give the Swedes the perfect start.

Six-goal start
Croatia enjoyed a more straightforward success against Liechtenstein at Porec's Veli Jozc stadium, running out 6-0 winners. Ivan Grnja's side led 4-0 by half-time, with Tomislav Bušic scoring twice and Denis Glavina and Miroslav Šaric getting the others. The home side emphasised their dominance in the second period with Goran Perak and Danijel Jumic adding further goals.

Revived Romania
Romania revived their qualification hopes against Liechtenstein on Matchday 2, albeit in somewhat unconvincing fashion. Manuel Scarlatache put Adrian Boingiu's side in front on the stroke of half-time at the Gradski stadium in Umag and Romania seemed set for a convincing win when Andrei Marchis made it 2-0 in the first minute of the second half. However, Liechtenstein's Philippe Erne's penalty halved the deficit midway through the half to set up a tense final 25 minutes, but Romania held firm.

Success sealed
Sweden, meanwhile, confirmed their progress as group winners with a 3-1 success against the Croatians in at the SRC Uljanik stadium in Pula. Goran Juros's 42nd-minute own goal gave Lindbom's outfit a half-time lead and, although Bušic levelled a minute after the interval, Toivonen and Labinot Harbuzi found the net again to secure the points.

Final-day drama
With Croatia second on goal difference going into the final round of matches, Romania knew that victory in Novigrad at the Laco stadium was essential. Their qualification prospects looked bleak by the 35th minute as Vedran Corluka gave the Croatians a 23rd-minute advantage before Romanian defender Emil Ninu was sent off. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Valentin Simion equalised a minute before half-time and struck again in the first minute of the second half to edge Romania in front. Bušic scored his fourth goal of the mini-tournament a minute before the hour to restore parity, however, and, despite losing Jurica Buljat to a red card with ten minutes left, Croatia held on to clinch the second qualifying berth.

Four-goal win
With first place assured, Sweden ended their campaign in relaxed fashion at the Zminj stadium, defeating Liechtenstein 4-0. Patrik Ståhl opened the scoring in the fifth minute, with Alexander Mellqvist doubling the lead six minutes into the second half. Petersson made it 3-0 in the 69th minute, with substitute Mans Sörensson scoring the final goal ten minutes from time.