ABHA, 20 August 2004 — Al-Ahli and Al-Nasr recorded contrasting victories in the International Friendship Soccer Tournament here but it was not enough for them to advance. Al-Ahli defeated Al-Shabab 1-0 in an all-Saudi affair with Hussein Al-Turki notching the winner.

Earlier, Al-Nasr had sprung a surprise against group leaders America Ducali of Colombia in a stirring 5-2 verdict. Abu Adab (2), Khaled Al-Salama, Muhammad Al-Sharani and Bandar Tamimi scored for Nasr, while Leonardo and Sycis reduced the margin.

The result did not affect the two qualifiers from this group with Morocco club Al-Rajaa making the grade along with Ducali.

Wins for Germany and England But Shock Defeat for Italy

In London, Iceland scored one of the biggest upsets in their history when they beat Italy 2-0 in a friendly international on Wednesday on a day that marked the start of the new international season.

While Italy were losing their first match under new coach Marcello Lippi, Germany began their new era under Juergen Klinsmann with a 3-1 win over Austria in Vienna with Kevin Kuranyi scoring a hat trick.

England, getting back to soccer after a summer dominated by tabloid headlines focusing on the private life of coach Sven Goran Eriksson, crushed Ukraine 3-0 in Newcastle with newly-united Real Madrid teammates David Beckham and Michael Owen scoring England’s opening two goals. Debutant Shaun Wright-Phillips added the third.

The Netherlands, starting life under Marco van Basten, performed creditably against Sweden in Stockholm, leaving with a 2-2 draw, but former European champions France, also beginning a new era with coach Raymond Domenech, did not fare so well, their new-look side only drawing 1-1 with Bosnia in Rennes.

There was also a shock for Turkey, World Cup semifinalists just two years ago. After failing to qualify for Euro 2004 and having to watch arch rivals Greece win it, Turkey started the season with a shock 2-1 home defeat to lowly-ranked Belarus. Greece, who inherited the European title from the French in Portugal last month, drew 0-0 with the Czech Republic in Prague, the country they beat 1-0 with a silver-goal winner in the semifinals of Euro 2004 just over six weeks ago.

Denmark scored a one-sided 5-1 win over Poland in Poznan with Peter Madsen scoring a hat trick, while Russia edged a seven-goal thriller 4-3 against Lithuania in Moscow with Victor Onopko making a record 113th appearance for the home side.

Meanwhile Spain, with 66-year-old Luis Aragones at the helm for the first time, beat Venezuela 3-2 in Las Palmas with Fernando Morientes opening the scoring and Raul Tamudo scoring twice in the second half.

Elsewhere, there was an emphatic 6-0 win by world champions Brazil in their “peace match” against Haiti in Port-au-Prince with Ronaldinho spearheading their victory with a hat trick.

Earlier in the day, Argentina beat newly-crowned Asian champions Japan 2-1 in Shizuoka - their seventh successive win over the Japanese since they first met in 1988.

For most of the European countries, Wednesday’s games were their only warm-ups before their World Cup qualifiers begin early next month, but four European zone World Cup qualifiers were played.

In Group One, Macedonia beat Armenia 3-0 and Romania beat Finland 2-1 while in Group Three, Estonia won 2-1 away to Liechtenstein, who finished the match with nine men, while Slovakia beat Luxembourg 3-1.

US Salvage Draw in Jamaica, Honduras Stun Costa Rica

In Rio De Janeiro, Brian Ching scored a last-gasp equalizer to salvage a 1-1 draw for the United States in Jamaica on Wednesday while Honduras stunned Costa Rica 5-2 as the second stage of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers began. Guatemala extended their unbeaten run to eight games as they won 2-0 away to Canada while El Salvador were the only team to win at home, beating Panama 2-1 despite playing the entire second half with ten men.

Jamaica were one minute away from their first-ever win over the US when Hawaiian-born Ching netted an 89th minute equalizer with his first international goal.

Defender Ian Goodsion, who plays for English third division club Tranmere, had headed the Reggae Boyz in front three minutes into the second half of the Group A game at Kingston’s national stadium, known locally as the “Office”. Jorge Rodriguez won and converted a penalty on the stroke of halftime as El Salvador overcame a floodlight failure and a 42nd minute red card for Jose Martinez against Panama in San Salvador.