Europe's most powerful soccer nations -- except Germany -- pulled rank over lesser opposition in their Euro 2004 qualifiers on Saturday with defending champions France leading the way with a 5-0 hammering of Cyprus.
Italy had a thrilling 4-0 win over Wales with an 11-minute second-half hat-trick from Filippo Inzaghi, the Netherlands beat Austria 3-1 and Turkey overcame Liechtenstein 3-0.
PHOTO: EPA
England got past Macedonia 2-1 with a match-winning penalty from skipper David Beckham and a landmark goal for 17-year-old Wayne Rooney who became England's youngest scorer.
PHOTO: AP
But Germany, European champions three times, played poorly and were held to a 0-0 draw by Iceland in Reykjavik, which provoked a rare outburst from German coach Rudi Voeller.
"The players are going to get chewed out by me. Of course it was far too little for us. There's too much talking. I'm not going to put up with this for long.
"Naturally, it's not what I expected. Especially in the second half we didn't do enough. But we didn't lose. We were fortunate to come away with a draw."
He also launched a scathing attack on TV pundits who had criticised his team but, despite the setback, Germany still hold their fate in their own hands as they have home matches to come on Wednesday against Scotland and next month against Iceland and if they win both they will qualify automatically.
Still, Iceland remain top of the group for another four days at least and outplayed Germany for much of the game billed in Iceland as the biggest in their soccer history.
That result was one of only two surprises across Europe in the 20 qualifiers played as the contenders for a place in Portugal next year kept the finals firmly in their sights.
The other upset saw Bosnia beat Norway 1-0 in Group Two with a late goal from Zlatan Bajramovic reviving the home side's faint playoff hopes.
Romania beat Luxembourg 4-0 to pull level with Denmark at the top of the group with those two meeting in Copenhagen on Wednesday.
However, with only two rounds of qualifiers to play, no country has yet clinched a place in the tournament although that position should change on Wednesday when the next 20 matches take place.
France are all but there with a maximum 18 points from their six Group One matches after a 5-0 win over Cyprus. David Trezeguet (2), Sylvain Wiltord (2) and Thierry Henry got the goals and France need just one point to make certain. The only reason France have not qualified yet is because Slovenia could, theoretically at least, overtake them after moving on to 13 points from their six matches after a 3-1 win against Israel, who had two men sent off late in the game.
The win all but guarantees Slovenia a place in the playoffs, but Israel still have a mathematical chance of pipping them.
While France were seeing off Cyprus, Italy were involved in an astonishing match against Wales who arrived in Milan as Group Nine leaders but left with a sound thrashing.
Italy had countless chances to score but could not break through a Welsh defence aided by both luck and judgement.
But after Italy took the lead through Inzaghi on 59 minutes, the rest swiftly followed. Alessandro Del Piero wrapped matters up with a late penalty that saw Italy replace Wales at the top.
Wales to face Finland
Wales though, should still make the playoffs despite two successive defeats. They play Finland in Cardiff on Wednesday where victory will clinch the playoff place.
The Netherlands secured at least a playoff spot in Rotterdam with a 3-1 win over Austria but, with the Czech Republic also winning 3-1 in their Group
Three match in Belarus, attention now switches to Wednesday's showdown between the two in Prague.
With both the Dutch and the Czechs on 16 points from six matches that game will decide who wins the group. There will also be a close finish to Group Seven after Turkey beat Liechtenstein 3-0 and England came from behind to beat Macedonia 2-1.
Turkey lead the group with 18 points, two points more than England, who should beat Liechtenstein on Wednesday at Old Trafford to move on to 19 points. England would then travel to Turkey in October needing just a draw to qualify.
Greece also moved closer to qualifying for the finals for the first time since 1980 when they won 1-0 in Armenia thanks to a first-half goal from Zisis Vryzas.
Greece, the real surprise in Group Six, only need to beat Northern Ireland, as expected, at home on October 11 to make certain of their place.
The Irish failed to score for the 11th successive match -- equalling the worst-ever run by a European country set by Liechtenstein between 2000 and 2002 -- but their 0-0 draw in Donetsk dented Ukraine's chances of reaching the playoffs. If Spain beat Ukraine at home on Wednesday then Greece and Spain will take the top two places.
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