When the draws for the forthcoming UEFA Under 21 European Championship were held yesterday, Malta was drawn in Group 10 alongside France, Romania, Bosnia and Wales.

It will be a very tough group for Mark Miller's boys who last week suffered a 4-0 friendly defeat at the hands of Finland.

Holders the Netherlands will take on Switzerland, Norway, F.Y.R. Macedonia and Estonia in qualifying for the 2009 finals in Sweden.

Sweden, as hosts, qualify automatically and are the only side guaranteed a place in the eight-team event, qualifying for which begins before the start of the 2007 finals in the Netherlands this summer.

In all, 51 UEFA member associations were involved in the draw at the Hilton Stockholm Slussen Hotel. Montenegro, participating on the UEFA stage for the first time since being accepted as a member association last month, face a difficult introduction after being drawn alongside 2007 finalists England and Portugal in Group 3.

Group games will be played over ten match days between 2 June this year and 10 September 2008 with the ten group winners and four best second-placed sides reaching the play-offs, which will take place on 11/12 and 14/15 October 2008. The seven winners of the two-legged ties will join Sweden in the final tournament to take place between 10 and 23 June.



The Groups

Group 1: Italy, Croatia, Greece, Albania, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands

Group 2: Czech Republic, Ukraine, Turkey, Armenia, Liechtenstein

Group 3: Portugal, England, Bulgaria, Republic of Ireland, Montenegro

Group 4: Spain, Russia, Poland, Georgia, Kazakhstan

Group 5: Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Macedonia, Estonia

Group 6: Denmark, Slovenia, Lithuania, Finland, Scotland

Group 7: Belgium, Slovakia, Iceland, Austria, Cyprus

Group 8: Serbia, Hungary, Belarus, Latvia, San Marino

Group 9: Germany, Israel, Moldova, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg

Group 10: France, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Wales, Malta