U21 play-off picture complete

The lineup for the play-offs for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship was completed on Tuesday on a dramatic night of action as titleholders the Netherlands bowed out at the qualifying round group stage after losing 1-0 to Switzerland.

Oranje out
Reto Ziegler scored with four minutes to play to seal Switzerland's place in the play-offs from Group 5 at the expense of the Dutch, who were eliminated following back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. The ten group winners and four best runners-up enter Friday's draw for the seven play-off matches. Italy rubber-stamped their ticket as Group 1 winners after drawing 1-1 with Croatia, while Turkey, 4-0 victors at home to Armenia, headed Group 2 and Finland topped Group 6 after drawing 0-0 in Slovenia. 

Serbia advance
Serbia, finalists in 2007, advanced as Group 8 winners, while Germany took pole position in Group 9 after a 0-0 stalemate with Israel. Wales were surprise 3-0 victors in Romania to claim top billing in Group 10. They progressed alongside England (Group 3 winners), Spain (Group 4) and Austria (Group 7) who had already qualified going into Tuesday's action.

Best runners-up
Belarus, France, Israel and Denmark went through as the four best runners-up, with the Danes proceeding on goal difference ahead of the Netherlands and Croatia after beating Scotland 1-0. To determine the ranking of the best runners-up, only results against the teams in first, third, fourth and fifth in each section are taken into account. So although Croatia finished second in Group 1 on 22 points, their results against Azerbaijan or the Faroe Islands – either of whom could still finish sixth depending on the result in Azerbaijan's final Group 1 game against Albania on Wednesday – will not count in the tie-breaker.

Denmark through
As Croatia won those matches, either way their points tally will be 16, leaving them level with both Denmark and the Netherlands. Goal difference is therefore used to separate the three sides. Denmark have plus nine, the Netherlands plus seven and Croatia either plus six, if their results against Azerbaijan are expunged, or plus five if the results against the Faroe Islands are removed. Either way, Denmark will have the better goal difference.

Malmo draw
The play-offs will be played on 11/12 and 14/15 October on a home-and-away basis. The play-off draw will take place at the HSB Turning Torso Meetings skyscraper in Malmo, Sweden, from 12.00CET on 12 September. The victors from each two-legged tie will join hosts Sweden in the draw for the final tournament on Wednesday 3 December at the Svenska Mässan exhibition centre in Gothenburg. The finals are then played from 15 to 29 June 2009.

Ten group winners
Italy, Turkey, England, Spain, Switzerland, Finland, Austria, Serbia, Germany, Wales.

Four best runners-up
Belarus, Israel, France, Denmark.