Gary Speed was given a torrid time at left back as he equalled the record number of appearances for an outfield player for Wales in their 4-0 defeat in Italy, with Craig Bellamy also appearing. A second-half hat-trick from Filippo Inzaghi and an Alessandro Del Piero penalty clinching the points for the Azzurri.
Kieron Dyer got just the final five minutes of England’s 2-1 win in FYR Macedonia, but got few if any touches of the ball as Emile Heskey and David Beckham ran the clock down by keeping the ball in the corner.
Shay Given was at fault for Russia’s equaliser as the Republic of Ireland drew 1-1 in Dublin, with Andy O’Brien not even making the bench.
Steve Caldwell also suffered a frustrating afternoon as an unused substitute during Scotland’s 3-1 win over the Faroe Islands, while Nikos Dabizas didn’t make the bench as Greece edged closer to qualification for Euro 2004 with a 1-0 win in Armenia.
Northern Ireland still can’t score but Aaron Hughes played the full 90 minutes as they earned an impressive 0-0 draw in Ukraine.
A better day for Nobby Solano though as he scored one (with a header) and set up another in Peru’s 4-1 World cup qualifying win over Paraguay in Lima.
On Friday Shola Ameobi played the full 90 minutes as England Under-21s as they were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw in FYR Macedonia, while Stephen Brennan didn’t make it on to the pitch as Ireland’s Under-21s beat Russia 2-0.