Football United

Holders Italy, Portugal, England and Croatia continued their perfect starts to the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign as they recorded second wins on Tuesday. There was also cause to celebrate for Greece and Switzerland. uefa.com rounds up the action.

Group 1
The Netherlands and the Czech Republic began their campaigns with a goalless draw in front of more than 10,000 spectators in Heerenveen to leave Romania three points clear in the section.

Group 2
Greece moved top with a 2-1 success against Turkey in Athens, late strikes from Christos Bourbos and Alexandros Tziolis securing the points with Turkish substitute Ibrahim Akin scoring a late consolation. Georgia joined Greece on four points as goals in the first 18 minutes from Shota Kashia and Irakli Modebadze proved decisive against Albania in a tempestuous encounter in Tbilisi. Denis Bosanka halved the deficit, but the home side held on despite having Georgi Tsimakuridze and Gogita Gogua sent off, while Albania's Gjergj Muzaka was dismissed. Olexander Aliyev's free-kick gave Ukraine victory in Kazakhstan.

Group 3
Portugal went top as goals in three minutes from Paulo Sérgio and Hugo Almeida put the hosts in charge against Estonia, Hugo Almeida adding a late third. Oskars Klava's 81st-minute effort earned Latvia a 2-1 win against Luxembourg, for whom Philippe Durer had cancelled out Aleksejs Visnakovs' opener.

Group 4
Switzerland got off to a flier with a 4-2 triumph against the Republic of Ireland in Berne. Stephan Lichsteiner broke the deadlock in the fourth minute, Xavier Margairaz making it 3-0 early in the second half. Although Stephen Elliott and an Aidan McGeady penalty brought Ireland back into contention, Patrick McCarthy's own goal sealed a Swiss success. In Tel-Aviv, Israel earned their first points as Barak Itzhaki's 32nd-minute goal defeated Cyprus.

Group 5
Holders Italy are the early pacesetters after substitute Antonio Floro Flores's effort two minutes into added time grabbed a 1-0 victory in Moldova. Norway, 2-0 losers in Italy on Friday, were beaten 3-2 by Belarus in Drammen despite taking the lead through Lars-Kristian Eriksen. Oleg Sjkabara equalised with 12 minutes left but Eirik Markegard restored Norway's advantage, only for two quick Mikhail Afanasijev goals to claim a dramatic win for Belarus. Borut Semler cancelled out Garry O'Connor's strike in Scotland and gave Slovenia a point despite the second-half dismissal of Mitja Morec.

Group 6
England maintained their 100 per cent record as Carlton Cole and Darren Bent were on target in a 3-1 victory against Poland in Rybnik. Marcin Burkhardt put the home team in front in the fifth minute but Cole levelled two minutes into first-half injury time. After Poland's Dariusz Dudka was sent off, Bent scored from the penalty spot with 18 minutes remaining before adding his second and England's third ten minutes later. Andreas Lasnik, Roman Kienast and René Schicker handed Austria a 3-0 win against Azerbaijan in Vienna.

Group 7
Spain joined Belgium and Serbia and Montenegro on three points as second-half efforts from Sergio García and Jesús Navas González earned victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Sarajevo. Lithuania recovered from a 3-0 defeat by Belgium to defeat San Marino 2-0 in Vilnius, with FC Lokomotiv Moskva's new signing Mindaugas Panka and Darvydas Šernas netting.

Group 8
Croatia climbed to the summit as second-half strikes from Mario Grgurovic and Eduardo da Silva accounted for Sweden in Trollhättan. Hungary, beaten 1-0 by the Croatians on Friday, needed a last-minute Robert Feczesin goal to see off Iceland, 1-0, in Dunaujvaros.

Source: Uefa.com