Football: A HUGHES UPSET FOR SAD MARK

WALES manager Mark Hughes was disappointed with his side's second half performance in last night's Euro qualifier against Italy.

Having held the dominant Italians to a goalless first half they collapsed after the break as Filippo Inzaghi scored a hat-trick and Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero netted a penalty.

Hughes said: "I think the players understand that the second half performance was unacceptable."

A 4-0 defeat was not what Hughes was expecting from his men following the optimism that reigned prior to tonight's crucial game at the San Siro stadium.

Following a solid first half by the Wales outfit who managed to keep Italy's attack under control, it all fell to pieces at the re- start.

Hughes added: "I thought we competed well in the first-half, we had a number of occasions in which we could have scored.

"We were very positive at half-time, we were in good shape, the players had high hopes in the dressing room.

"The second half was quite the opposite, we lost our discipline and conceded several goals and it became very difficult to get back into the game.

"We forgot the things that have helped us to succeed in the past in the second half."

Wales will now have to get a home win against Finland on Wednesday in order to secure second position and hope that Italy slip against Serbia and Montenegro in Belgrade.

Hughes said: "We have a difficult game ahead on Wednesday because of the consequences of this match. We have to pick ourselves up and show what we are made of," continued Hughes.

More worrying for Hughes is the absence of Mark Delaney, Craig Bellamy and Robbie Savage as the three players picked up their second yellows in the championship which rules them all out of the Finland game.

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