The Wales defence that lined up in the Armenian capital comprised a third division left-back and a central partnership plucked from the first. To the right stood Mark Delaney, who is more familiar with the Aston Villa treatment table and reserve team grounds than the Premiership.
Such is the material from which Mark Hughes must weave adequate cover for his goalkeeper Paul Jones. On Wednesday it will be the turn of Adriy Shevchenko and Sergei Rebrov to pick at the stitching. If those at the back could not restrain Armenia's finest and protect the lead afforded them by John Hartson then what hope against Ukraine?
Armenia's opening goal also exposed the poverty of Welsh discipline as Andy Legg found himself the last defender with four players bearing down. His despairing tackle merely provided an easy far-post chance for Artak Minasyan. Armenia's equaliser was a shot of ferocious velocity from Andrey Movsisyan but he should have been closed down.
Hartson led the fightback by looping a shot high into the net. The Coventry forward's second, a glancing header, arrived three minutes after half-time following a free-kick from the substitute Matthew Jones.
ARMENIA: Abramyan, Minasyan (Artavas Karamyan 58), Khodjoyan (Demirtsyan 39), Hovsepyan, Vardanyan, Sargsyan, Petrosyan, Voskanyan (Hakobyan 70), Dohoian, Shahgeldyan, Movsesyan. Subs Not Used: Azizyan, Petikyan, Arman Karamyan, Seropian. Sent Off: Sargsyan (81). Booked: Khodjoyan, Petrosyan, Sargsyan. Goals: Minasyan 33, Movsesyan 66.
WALES: Paul Jones, Delaney, Page, Melville, Legg, John Robinson, Pembridge (Matthew Jones 45), Speed, Saunders (Carl Robinson 70), Hartson (Iwan Roberts 79), Bellamy. Subs Not Used: Symons, Barnard, Jenkins, Mark Crossley. Booked: Carl Robinson, John Robinson. Goals: Hartson 41, 48.
Referee: George Kasnaferis (Greece).
