Belgium motivated for hard task

Belgium were the surprise qualifiers for the 2005/06 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship finals but they have been given a mammoth task is they are to repeat that feat.

Tough group
Victories against Ukraine, Wales and the Czech Republic last April took Belgium past the second qualifying round and into the finals in Switzerland. There they lost 2-1 to Denmark, held Sweden 0-0 and went down 4-0 against Germany. This season Belgium again progressed past the first stage, overcoming Greece and Estonia to ensure a defeat against England could not prevent them taking a place in the second qualifying round draw. However, they were drawn in Group 4, where they will travel to face the hosts and two of women's football superior nations - Denmark and Norway.

'Disappointed'
Coach Anne Noë, who leads Belgium's senior team as well as the U19s, told uefa.com: "We are in a very tough group. I was very disappointed when I saw the draw because with the experience last year we hoped we could get more chances." While Romania will be the outsiders - they have lost all their second qualifying round games for the last two seasons - Norway will be keen to qualify for the first time since 2004, the year after reaching the final and Denmark will still have much of the squad that made the last four in Switzerland.

Denmark rematch
Noë hopes though the memory of the finals encounter with Denmark, where Belgium went 1-0 up, conceded an equaliser and had a player sent off before letting in a second goal, will inspire her players when they face the Danes again on 12 April, two days after meeting Norway. "The players really want to go to Iceland, so I told them Denmark and Norway are two big teams, they want revenge for the game against Denmark in Switzerland," Noë said. "I hope to stay with eleven players until the end of the game. Norway we played against two years ago in Belgium, we know their style so this is an advantage. I told the players to start training, when they saw the draw they were very motivated. I think we all want to go back and have the same experience. It is a very tough group but it is possible."

Motivation
Much of the Belgium team from last season are eligible for U19 competition again, and Noë believes those that went to the finals, and had the opportunity to play Denmark, Sweden and Germany, have emerged more determined to improve. "Some of them took a lesson from Switzerland, have started training on their own a little bit," she said. "And I hope they continue."