Euro 2012 qualifiers round-up:Former world champions Italyare the latest team to realise you cannot take Northern Irelandlightly as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Windsor Park in Group C.
Manager Nigel Worthington could not hide his delight at the final whistle in front of a capacity crowd.
And it could have been even better had David Healy not squandered a great chance in the first half.
However there was much to be cheerful about not least the performances from goalkeeper Maik Taylor and defenders Aaron Hughes and Stephen Craigan.
They built a solid wall and Italy were left frustrated following victories against Estonia and the Faroe Islands.
Craig Levein's decision to drop Kenny Miller and play a defensive line-up failed to pay off as Scotlandsuffered the first defeat of their qualifying campaign, going down 1-0 against the Czech Republicin Prague tonight.
The manager opted for a formation designed to frustrate their hosts and hopefully return home with at least a draw to add to the four gained against Lithuania and Liechtenstein.
The Scots held out for 69 minutes before Roman Hubnik grabbed the only goal of the game to hand the Czechs their first victory in the section, and Levein’s men must now pick themselves up ahead of the visit of Spain next week.
Ivelin Popov struck the only goal as Bulgariadelivered a huge blow to Wales' hopes. The striker lashed in a shot off the post after 48 minutes at the Cardiff City Stadium to condemn Brian Flynn to defeat in his first match as caretaker manager.
Welsh woes were compounded in injury time when Chris Gunter was sent off for a cynical foul on Dimitar Rangelov.
The result will not help Flynn’s chances of landing the job on a permanent basis, with a theoretically trickier task ahead in Switzerland next Tuesday.
After two defeats from two games in a group that also includes England, Wales’ chances of finishing even second look slender.