In-form Germany reward fans

Wednesday, 21 March 2007
Germany showed why they are being tipped for success in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship as they picked up a comfortable victory against Greece in their opening Elite round Group 1 fixture in Osnabruck.
Kroos doubleA packed crowd of 5,000 came to see a team that last month won the prestigious Algarve Tournament, and within two minutes Germany were ahead through their sole survivor from the squad that reached the 2006 semi-finals in Luxembourg, Toni Kroos. The FC Bayern München playmaker turned in a Sascha Bigalke corner and struck again on the quarter-hour from a free-kick.
Greek hopes dashedMarvin Knoll and Henning Sauerbier had further first-half chances, but Greece held out and pulled one back in the 64th minute through substitute Eleftherios Kanatas. However, three minutes later Sauerbier combined well with Kroos for the Bayer 04 Leverkusen striker to restore the two-goal cushion, and with six minutes left Bigalke's replacement Richard Sukuta-Pasu completed the victory. The German campaign for a place in the Belgium-hosted finals continues against Scotland in Rheine on Friday while Greece meet the Republic of Ireland in Schuttorf.
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