Seven-goal Slovakia run riot in Luxembourg

Slovakia kicked off their 2013–15 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying attempt in emphatic style, with Ivan Schranz's first-half hat-trick fuelling a 7-1 away win against Luxembourg.

The Slovaks' Group 3 campaign was barely a minute old when Schranz struck for the first time and Luxembourg's misery only intensified the longer the match in Ettelbruck wore on. Besides the treble from Schranz, Jakub Paur, Michal Škvarka's penalty and, in the second half, Patrik Hrošovský and Michal Janec dealt further blows to home morale.

Ivan Galád's team took control from their very first attack, Schranz scoring on the rebound after eight seconds, and with Luxembourg failing to press Slovakia's defenders and midfielders, the visitors registered three goals inside 18 minutes – Schranz from distance and Paur doing the damage. No4 came from the spot, Škvarka converting, and Schranz then made it five from close range after 37 minutes. He would be replaced at half-time.

After the break the more technical Slovaks continued to dominate, although Luxembourg's freshly introduced legs helped prompt a 53rd-minute consolation from Antonio Luisi, one of coach Reinhold Breu's substitutes. Even so, Slovakia made sure they rounded off the scoring with a Hrošovský header and Janec's fine 72nd-minute strike.