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A great many PSV players were on international duty the past two days; they met with varying success. Mika Väyrynen and Timmy Simons played a Euro 2008 qualifying game; the other players made appearances in international friendlies. Finland climb to top of group AFinland, who had included Mika Väyrynen in their starting line-up, claimed all three points against Armenia in Helsinki last night and climb to the top of UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying group A. Former sc-Heerenveen forward Mika Nurmela nodded home the only goal of the night. Väyrynen was taken off soon after the restart. Finland have taken a one-point advantage over Serbia, who have one game in hand. Belgium slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Poland in another group A qualifying game. Radoslaw Matusiak scored the winning goal after nineteen minutes. PSV holding midfielder Timmy Simons, who captained Belgium last night, was shown a yellow card in the closing stages and is suspended for the next qualifying game, away against Portugal. Manuel da Costa was not called into action, when Portugal took on Kazakhstan. The defender had been called up to the provisional squad, but was dropped from the final squad and watched the game from the grand stand. Portugal enjoyed a 3-0 win and climb to fourth place, four points behind leaders Finland. Belgium’s hopes of qualifying have been hugely dented. Brazil, Ivory Coast and PeruBrazil beat Switzerland 2-1 in the St.-Jakob Park in Basel on Wednesday night. PSV defender Alex was not fielded. Luisão and Kaká scored goals for Brazil; Maicon beat his own keeper Helton for an own goal. Ivory Coast beat Sweden 1-0 in a friendly in France, thanks to a goal scored by Didier Drogba. PSV striker Arouna Koné played 45 minutes during which he did not find the net. Peru drew 1-1 with Jamaica in an international friendly in the National Stadium in Jamaica. Jefferson Farfán did not have his name on the score sheet.Other international friendliesThe Dutch team shared honours with England in the Amsterdam ArenA on Wednesday night. A late equaliser scored by Rafael van der Vaart five minutes from time earned Holland a 1-1 draw. Clarence Seedorf made his comeback to the Dutch team. Former PSV defender André Ooijer was given a place in the starting line-up and wore the captain’s armband, in the absence of goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was brought on a as substitute in the closing stages. Jason Culina and Eric Addo met last Tuesday night, when Australia and Ghana drew 1-1 in London.
