October 12 2003

Michael Hughes

MICHAEL HUGHES could not stop Northern Ireland losing 1-0 to Greece in the final European Championship qualifiers.

His country finished bottom of Group Six, while Greece will join England in Portugal at the championships next year as group winners.

HUGHES played the full game and had an effort blocked early in the second half but unbeliveably, the Irish have failed to score in 1,242 minutes of football.

Kit Symons failed to make the subs' bench in Wales' 3-2 defeat at home to Serbia & Montenegro. They now face the lottery of the play-offs.

Aki Riihilahti came on for the final 28 minutes of Finland's 3-2 home win over Canada in an international friendly.

Gareth Williams played the second half in Wales U21s' 1-0 defeat to Serbia & Montenegro at Barry.