Euro 2004 Qualifying Group Nine/ Wales 1; Finaland 1: The scarcely believable news this morning is Wales are not only into November's play-offs but they still have a chance of winning the group.
Events in Belgrade, where Serbia-Montenegro scored a late equaliser to deny Italy immediate qualification, meant this unmerited Welsh draw leaves Mark Hughes's team with the opportunity to beat the Serbs here next month, though Italy will surely defeat Azerbaijan at home the same night.
Hughes had to send out a team weakened by injuries and suspensions but Wales had some luck when Simon Davies scored after three minutes, having apparently handled the ball and then watched as Paul Jones made a series of second half saves.
Jones was finally beaten by Mikael Forssell in the 80th minute and, as news filtered through, Wales pressed again. But they were down to 10 men by then, Jason Koumas having seen two yellow cards, and there was no Wales winner. Had there been, the stadium would have collapsed in shock.
The team-sheet sparked the night's first surprise, Andy Melville being included for his first match for four months. Melville missed the Milan tie with the foot injury that has plagued him and Hughes rearranged things further at the back, bringing in Cardiff's Rhys Weston for the 22-year-old's fifth cap.
That enabled Davies to be relieved from the discomfort of defending but the Spurs wide man was switched into a more central midfield role. The primary aim was to accommodate another Cardiff player, Robert Earnshaw, though there was a secondary benefit very quickly.
As the clock ticked to only the third minute Gary Speed, winning his 76th cap, a record for a Wales outfield player, launched a long pass from left back toward the head of John Hartson. With predictable skill, the Celtic striker met the ball with a flick.
Suddenly Davies saw his chance. Chasing the bouncing ball, Davies sped in between Sami Hyypia and the former West Ham centre-half, Hannu Tihenen. Davies appeared to control the ball with his upper arm but, as no whistle blew, Davies carried on and he drove the ball low into the bottom corner. It was an indication of Davies's concern about a possible handball he looked at the officials before celebrating.
Perfect start, and yet Finland spent the next 30 minutes giving an exhibition of midfield pass and move. Mika Vayrynen was orchestrating a series of moves that should have brought more than the mere threat of goals. Mika Nurmela, Teemu Tainio and Aki Riihilahti of Crystal Palace all wasted opportunities to equalise and Nurmela was denied by the outstretched arm of Koumas on a 32nd-minute free-kick. Once again Wales were lucky a handball had not been seen.
Hughes's team were being outplayed; they were defending too deep, the midfield were missing tackles and Hartson was left isolated. By contrast, Forssell had the freedom of the park.
Finland must have believed they could not only draw the match, but win it. Wales needed to be much tighter as a group and when marking. But lessons were not being learned, the example coming in the 54th minute when Hyppia strode out from the back and threaded a pass through a clutch of red shirts. Joonas Kolkka ran on to it and struck a shot that Jones saved but could not hold.
Remarkably, given the Finns' domination, that was Jones's first save. But in the next three minutes, he made two more. Both were of the last-ditch variety, the first coming again from Kolkka after Wales had been shredded down their right side. The second was from Forssell; all the striker had done to create it was to run away from Melville on to a throw-in. He should scored.
Wales breathed again, but there were gulps when Koumas upended Forssell as Finland pushed forward. Booked two minutes after the interval for a foul on Tainio, Koumas was shown a second yellow, though there was a delay before the referee realised a red had to come out, too.
Guardian Services
WALES: Paul Jones, Weston (Johnson 73), Melville, Page, Speed, Davies, Pembridge, Koumas, Giggs, Hartson (Blake 82), Earnshaw.Subs Not Used: Williams, Barnard, Carl Robinson, Oster, Crossley. Sent Off: Koumas (64). Booked: Koumas, Melville. Goals: Davies 3.
FINLAND: Niemi, Pasanen (Kopteff 82), Saarinen (Reini 46), Saarinen, Hyypia, Tihinen, Riihilahti, Nurmela, Tainio, Forssell, Vayrynen (Kuqi 56), Kolkka. Subs Not Used: Jaaskelainen, Kuivasto, Valakari, Johansson. Booked: Pasanen. Goals: Forssell 80.
Referee: A Dauden Ibanez (Spain).
