Young Euro stars in action

International football came to Stirling this week as the UEFA European Women’s Under 19s Championships kicked off.

Scotland is hosting the championships for the first time and Stirling Albion’s Forthbank Stadium is the venue for three of the matches – on Tuesday reigning champions Spain defeated Belgium 2-0 while today (Friday), England face the Spanish and on Monday, July 22, it’s the turn of Germany to tackle Spain - who are looking to make it three chamopionship wins in a row - with all games starting at 4pm.

In Tuesday’s opener, Germany defeated England 2-1.

Other matches are being played at St Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park and Firhill, home of Partick Thistle, with the final being played on Sunday, July 28 at St Mirren Park.

Tuesday’s match drew a crowd of around 300 - many travelling from Spain and Belgium to support family members but the girls were also well backed by fans from the Stirling area who enjoyed the skills the of the young European footballers..

Scotland kicked off their campaign against France on Tuesday at St Mirren Park losing 2-1 to an injurytime goal and today’s they meet Norway at Firhill, finishing off against Netherlands at St Mirren Park on Monday .

The Dutch defeated Norway 5-0 in their opening match..

Tickets for all matches are still on sale via www.scottishfac.co.uk/ wu19euro.

Group stage games are £2 for adults, £1 for concession with the semi-finals and final at £5 and £2 respectively.

Battle Belgium’s Tiffanie Vanderdoncht in action with Spain’s Athenea del Castillo Tense

Smiles Spain’s Laia Aleixandri celebrates making it 2-0 against Belgium Where’s the ball?

Surrounded Belgium’s Esther Buabadi is outnumbered

Belgium’s Kerlijn Knapen (L) in action with Spain’s Olga Carmona

Belgian fans in the stand at Forthbank before kick-off

Slide tackle Belgium’s Tiffanie Vanderdonckt claims the ball after teammate Costance Brackman collides with Spain’s Rosa Otermin

Heads up Belgium’s Zenia Mertens challenges Spain’s Nerea Eizaguirre