Wales secured a European 2004 Championship play-off place, but not without a scare or two in a 1-1 Group Nine draw with Finland at the Millennium Stadium. Their result, combined with Italy's 1-1 draw against Serbia and Montenegro ensured Mark Hughes’ men claimed place in the play-off.
Simon Davies opened the scoring for the home side after just 10 minutes when John Hartson nodded down a long ball into the path of Davies who took the ball into the Finland penalty area and blasted a low shot into the net past Antti Niemi's right hand.
After taking the early lead, Wales, clearly feeling the pressure, sat back and invited Finland onto them. The visitors took control of the midfield and for long periods of the game Mark Hughes' men were left chasing shadows.
However despite taking control of the game, the Finns were unable to make their possession count until the 80th minute when when Kolkka's cross was headed home by Forssell from eight yards. Finland, desperate for to win and keep their faint hopes of Euro 2004 qualification alive pushed forward in the closing stages, but it was to no avail and the Welshmen hung-on for a vital point.
Elsewhere, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney fired England to the top Euro 2004 qualifying Group Seven with an important 2-0 victory against Liechtenstein at Old Trafford.
Despite hitting the crossbar twice in a first half, England lacked the clinical final touch and looked tired against a determined team of mostly part-timers. However after just a minute of the second half, Steven Gerrard set up his Liverpool team-mate Michael Owen who headed home from close range.
Six minutes later, it was 2-0. Owen played a superb cross-field ball over to David Beckham, who matched in turn picked out Gerrard unmarked inside the Liechtenstein penalty area. Gerrard proceeded to knock the ball back to Wayne Rooney who blasted the ball home in what was a carbon copy of his strike Macedonia at the weekend. The win gave England 19 points, one more than Turkey, who they face in a decisive final game in Istanbul on October 11. However they will have to improve drastically in Turkey, after what was a rather lack-lustre display.
Berti Vogts' return to Germany ended in bitter defeat as Scotland ended a bad tempered game with 10 men. The 66th-minute dismissal of Maurice Ross, meant that adding an equaliser to Neil McCann's wonder strike was beyond his side, who had put in a spirited performance nonetheless.
The Germans had taken the lead midway through the first half through Fredi Bobic. Michael Ballack made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Steven Pressley had impeded Bobic in the area.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's goal drought reached a record 12 games as they suffered a humiliating 1-0 home defeat and the hands of footballing minnows Armenia. Armenia scored the only goal against the run of play in the 29th minute after Keith Gillespie had limped off leaving the home side temporarily down to 10 men.
Filed by Rob Wright
