National Team Friendlies Roundup

Yesterday was an action packed day of football, as the clubs stepped aside and gave the national teams a chance to shine. Many did in some top-notch matchups from both the UEFA/European region and CONCACAF (North/Central America). Without further adu, we'll list the results of yesterday's matches here, with breaks in the results for brief segments about some of the top matches of the day. Look down the results for your country's team!

Estonia       2 - 0  Canada      
Bulgaria      2 - 1  Finland
Hungary       0 - 0  Slovenia
South Africa  3 - 0  Paraguay
Lithuania     1 - 0  Azerbaijan
Ukraine       2 - 0  Serbia
Israel        1 - 0  Chile
Belarus       2 - 2  Turkey**

"Fatih Terim told his Turkey side in no uncertain terms this week that anything less than a professional showing against Belarus could see replacements drafted in in time for Euro 2008." However, with only a 2-2 draw out of a match in which they trailed twice, Manager Terim will have some things to think about heading into the tournament. His side has managed only an 0-2-0 record against Sweden and Belarus on the year, though this draw did play out without #1 Keeper Volkan Demirel and a pair of injuries to Zan and Basturk. -- (Source: Goal.com)

Armenia       1 - 0  Kazakhstan
Montenegro    3 - 1  Norway
Romania       3 - 0  Russia
Egypt         0 - 2  Argentina
Slovakia      1 - 2  Iceland
Luxembourg    0 - 2  Wales
Denmark       1 - 1  Czech Republic**

A Czech Republic side missing nearly half of it's usual starting staff (Cech, Rosicky, Grygera, Kovac, Jankulovski) looked quite the part in surviving a 1-1 draw in Denmark. The Czechs needed Jan Koller's 52nd goal in 86 international caps to level in the 42nd after Nicklas Bendtner's earlier strike for the Danes. Another Euroe 2008 Qualifier, the Czechs (like fellow participant Turkey) were held by a non-qualified club and have yet to win in 2008 (0-1-1, loss to Poland), also like Turkey. -- (Source: International Herald Tribune/AP)

Poland        0 - 3  USA**  (2-0-0 vs. Europe this year)
N. Ireland    4 - 1  Georgia
Switzerland   0 - 4  Germany (Mario Lopez 6g in 9 caps)
Belgium       1 - 4  Morocco
Brazil        1 - 0  Sweden
Scotland      1 - 1  Croatia
France        1 - 0  England** (Beckham's 100th Cap)

Neither side inspired in a match only won by a Ribery penalty conversion in the 32' after England keeper David James took down Nicolas Anelka. Both sides played to the "Friendly" billing, with much of each starting XI looking past the match and keeping fit for looming Champions League clashes with their respective clubs. Beckham picked up his 100th cap, becoming only the 5th Brit to do so, but both he and Wes Brown looked poor on the wing, often switching off with each other and leaving Becks in a right back position, and Wes doing nothing to support.

Ghana         2 - 1  Mexico
Spain         1 - 0  Italy  (Another uninspired match
                            won by a David Villa stunner)
Colombia      2 - 2  Honduras
Ecuador       3 - 1  Haiti
Venezuela     0 - 1  Bolivia
Peru          3 - 1  Costa Rica

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In the only technically meaningful matches played internationally, Australia and South Korea were held to surprise draws by China and North Korea respectively in Asian 2010 World Cup Qualifying, with Japan slumping to a 0-1 defeat on the road at the hands of Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia getting hammered 0-3 at Uzbekistan.