World champions Brazil put eight goals past United Arab Emirates, Germany drew 0-0 in France and England's Michael Owen returned to torment Argentina in Saturday's friendlies for next year's World Cup hopefuls.
Italy were 3-1 winners in the Netherlands, Euro 2004 finalists Portugal beat Croatia 2-0 and Ivory Coast prepared for their World Cup debut with a 2-1 win over Romania in neutral France.
Brazil, even bigger favourites to retain their title in Germany after lifting the Confederations Cup there in June, outclassed their opponents in an 8-0 drubbing in Abu Dhabi.
Playmaker Kaka gave them a first-half lead but the fireworks came after the break when Olympique Lyon team mates Fred and Juninho Pernambucano scored two apiece, defenders Lucio and Cicinho got one each and striker Adriano converted a penalty.
There were fewer goals but far more excitement in Geneva, where Owen scored twice in the closing minutes to give England a pulsating 3-2 victory over their old World Cup foes.
Argentina, who qualified for next year's finals by trouncing Brazil 3-1, had looked good value for both their leads.
Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo put them in front, Wayne Rooney scored a quick equaliser and Walter Samuel restored the South Americans' lead with a header just after the break.
But Owen, who had burst onto the big stage with a wonder goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, headed an 87th equaliser and followed up by nodding a stoppage time winner.
Victory was an ideal filip for coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who was under pressure from a hostile press for most of the season before England eventually qualified as group winners.
CUP FAVOURITES
It also prompted British bookmaker William Hill to make Eriksson's men joint second favourites with Argentina and Germany at 7-1 to win the World Cup next year. Brazil are 3-1 favourites.
Two other World Cup candidates met in Amsterdam, with Marcello Lippi's Italy coming out on top of Marco van Basten's men after going a goal down.
Alessandro Del Piero had a hand in Italy's first two goals, providing the cross for Alberto Gilardino to head an equaliser and sending over a corner, which was turned in by Dutch defender Ron Vlaar in first-half stoppage time.
Luca Toni put the match beyond the Netherlands' reach, catching out their hosts on the break.
In two other games among qualified nations, Armando Petit and Pedro Pauleta, taking his national record tally to 43 goals, scored for Portugal against Croatia, while South Korea, co-hosts and semi-finalists of the 2002 World Cup, drew 2-2 with Sweden.
The United States, appearing in their fifth successive finals next summer, drew 1-1 at Hampden Park against a Scotland side who will not be making the trip to Germany.
