Mads Bidstrup and Denmark took a step closer to guaranteeing an Under-21 European Championship Qualifying Play-Off spot with victory over Kazakhstan in Velje yesterday.

The Danes netted inside a minute through Gustav Isaksen, Maurits Kjærgaard adding a second midway through the first-half. Mads came on for this sixth Under-21 appearance just past the hour mark, five of which have come during this qualifying campaign.

There was still time for Albert Grønbæk to add an injury-time third as Denmark consolidated second spot in Group I. If Denmark avoid defeat in either of their last two matches, against Scotland on Friday or Turkey a week on Tuesday, they will secure second spot and a place in the Play-Offs. They could still book automatic passage through as the best second-placed team but that would require wins in both of their upcoming matches and other results going their way.

Lachlan Brook earned his fourth cap for Australia's Under-23s as they took a point from their group game against Iraq at the AFC Asian Cup, despite being down to ten men for more than 70 minutes.

Forward Kusini Yengi was shown a straight red for a heavy challenge after just 17 minutes at the Markaziy Stadion in Qarshi. However, it was the ten men who struck through Alou Kuol in first-half injury-time. Ten minutes into the second-half, Iraq levelled thanks to Hasan Abdulkareem and that was how it stayed.

Lachlan was withdrawn on the hour ahead of Australia's final group game against Jordan on Tuesday. If the Olyroos avoid defeat they will book their spot in the Quarter-Finals which begin next Saturday.