Hosts Finland flourished on the opening day of action in the European Team Squash Championships at the Esport Center in Espoo with two successive wins in the Men's Division 2 category of the long-established European Squash Federation event.
But it was a 2/1 upset over second seeds Wales in the Women's Division 1 championship that was the biggest boost to the hosts' ambitions in the event which is being held in Finland for the fourth time.
Elina Kononen began the rout with an 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11 victory over Welsh teenager Tesni Evans to lift fifth seeds Finland's spirits. Wales bounced back when Deon Saffery beat Saara Valtola in straight games - but Jutta Tuunanen clinched victory with an 11-8, 12-10, 11-8 win over Hannah Jane Davies.
It turned out to be a disappointing opening day overall for Wales, fourth seeds in the Men's Division 1 event, who went down 4/0 to fifth seeds Italy.
England, favourites to win the men's premier title for the 19th year in a row, successfully began the defence of their crown with a 4/0 victory over Czech Republic, the No8 seeds.
England's top player Nick Matthew, the world number one, faced 12 times Czech champion Jan Koukal, ranked 44 places lower.
"It was the first time we played against each other," said Matthew after his 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3 win. "He impressed me and should in my mind deserve a somewhat higher ranking. Personally it was not until in the third game I could say I was satisfied in my own squash."
When asked about England's competition in the championships, Matthew said: "When looking at the Championships, France have a good team. They are missing Thierry Lincou, which means that Greg Gaultier's role will become even bigger. And then I could think that the Netherlands will be strong."
RESULTS: European Team Championships, Espoo, Finland
Division 1 Men's Qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[5] ITALY bt [4] WALES 4/0
Stephane Galifi bt Peter Creed 11-9, 11-4, 10-12, 16-14
Amr Swelim bt Nic Birt 11-5, 11-7, 6-11, 11-5
Davide Bianchetti bt David Evans 11-3, 11-8, 11-7
Marcus Berrett bt Alex Gough 11-3, 16-14, 11-2
[1] ENGLAND bt [8] CZECH REPUBLIC 4/0
Nick Matthew bt Jan Koukal 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3
Jonathan Kemp bt Pavel Sladecek 11-3, 11-4, 11-4
James Willstrop bt Petr Martin 8-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6
Daryl Selby bt Roman Svec 11-1, 11-5, 11-2
Pool B:
[3] NETHERLANDS bt [6] GERMANY 3/1
Laurens Jan Anjema bt Simon Rosner 11-8, 14-12, 6-11, 11-6
Sebastian Weenink lost to Raphael Kandra 7-11, 6-11, 6-11
Dylan Bennett bt Jens Schoor 11-6, 3-11, 4-11, 14-12, 12-10
Piedro Schweertman bt Rudi Rohrmuller 11-8, 11-8, 4-11, 11-5
[2] FRANCE bt [7] SCOTLAND 4/0
Gregory Gaultier bt Alan Clyne 11-5, 12-10, 2-11, 11-7
Julien Balbo bt Harry Leitch 6-11, 11-1, 11-1, 11-2
Mathieu Castagnet bt Stuart Crawford 11-5, 11-7, 11-7
Yann Perrin bt Chris Small 11-5, 11-7, 11-5
Division 1 Women's Qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[1] NETHERLANDS bt [8] SPAIN 3/0
Orla Noom bt Stela Carbonell 11-6, 11-7, 11-6
Vanessa Atkinson bt Xisela Aranda Nunez 11-2, 11-5, 11-3
Milja Dorenbos bt Laura Alonso Perez 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-6
[4] IRELAND bt [5] GERMANY 2/1
Aisling Blake bt Pamela Hathway 13-11, 11-7, 11-2
Madeline Perry bt Sina Wall 15-13, 11-1, 11-6
Claire Staunton lost to Eva Brauckmann 3-11, 3-11, 3-11
Pool B:
[2] FRANCE bt [7] SCOTLAND 2/1
Isabelle Stoehr bt Frania Gillen-Buchert 12-10, 11-6, 11-8
Camille Serme bt Senga Macfie 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8
Coline Aumard lost to Lisa Aitken 6-11, 7-11, 8-11
[3] ENGLAND bt [6] ITALY 3/0
Sarah Kippax bt Grossi Katiuscia 11-4, 11-2, 11-5
Jenny Duncalf bt Manuela Manetta 11-1, 4-11, 13-11, 11-5
Emma Beddoes bt Monica Menegozzi 11-2, 11-4, 11-4
Division 2 Men's Qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[1] SPAIN bt [9] SLOVAKIA 4/0
Borja Golan bt Tomas Toth 11-7, 11-3, 11-1
Ivan Flores bt Miroslav Celler 16-14, 11-2, 11-3
David Vidal bt Marek Manik 11-4, 11-5, 11-3
Alejandro Garbi Caro bt Peter Kviecinsky 11-6, 11-3, 9-11, 11-2
[8] HUNGARY drew with [9] SLOVAKIA 2/2
Mark Krajcsak bt Tomas Toth 11-5, 11-1, 11-7
Andras Torok lost to Miroslav Celler 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 10-12
Marton Szaboky lost to Marek Manik 11-7, 6-11, 11-2, 5-11, 8-11
Sandor Fulop bt Peter Kviecinsky 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-1
[1] SPAIN bt [8] HUNGARY 3/1
Borja Golan bt Mark Krajcsak 9-11, 11-9, 11-2, 14-12
Ivan Flores lost to Andras Torok 6-11, 7-11, 7-11
David Vidal bt Marton Szaboky 11-4, 11-5, 11-2
Alejandro Garbi Caro bt Sandor Fulop 11-4, 11-7, 6-11, 9-11, 11-4
Final positions: 1 Spain, 2 Hungary, 3 Slovakia
Pool B:
[2] FINLAND bt [10] UKRAINE 4/0
Olli Tuominen bt Ruslan Sorochinskiy 11-6, 11-1, 12-10
Erno Teitti bt Denis Podvornyi 11-7, 11-3, 11-4
Henrik Mustonen bt Kostiantyn Rybalchenko 11-6, 11-4, 11-2
Hameed Ahmed bt Valeriy Fedoruk 11-7, 11-3, 11-4
[7] BELGIUM bt [10] UKRAINE 4/0
Stefan Casteleyn bt Ruslan Sorochinskiy 11-6, 11-6, 11-4
Dave de Beule bt Denis Podvornyi 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8
Tom de Mulder bt Kostiantyn Rybalchenko 11-3, 11-6, 16-14
Jan van den Herrewegen bt Valeriy Fedoruk 11-8, 7-11, 11-0, 11-9
[2] FINLAND bt [7] BELGIUM 4/0
Olli Tuominen bt Stefan Casteleyn 11-4, 11-4, 11-4
Arttu Moisio bt Dave de Beule 11-4, 11-1, 11-8
Henrik Mustonen bt Tom de Mulder 11-5, 11-2, 11-9
Matias Tuomi bt Jan van den Herrewegen 11-6, 5-11, 11-6, 11-8
Final positions: 1 Finland, 2 Belgium, 3 Ukraine
Pool C:
[3] IRELAND bt [11] AUSTRIA 4/0
Arthur Gaskin bt Aqeel Rehman 11-6, 2-11, 11-3, 11-2
Graeme Stewart bt Stefan Brauneis 11-5, 5-11, 4-1 ret.
Derek Ryan bt Jakob Dirnberger 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 7-11, 12-10
Steve Richardson bt Daniel Haider 11-5, 11-6, 11-2
[6] DENMARK bt [11] AUSTRIA 4/0
Kristian Frost Olesen bt Aqeel Rehman 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8
Michael Frilund bt Marcus Greslehner 11-4, 11-7, 11-5
Rasmus Nielsen bt Jakob Dirnberger 11-6, 11-8, 11-6
Caspar Grauball Nielsen bt Daniel Haider 11-9, 11-8, 11-2
[3] IRELAND drew with [6] DENMARK 2/2
Arthur Gaskin lost to Kristian Frost Olesen 8-11, 11-9, 11-4, 9-11, 2-11
Graeme Stewart lost to Michael Frilund 11-5, 9-11, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11
Derek Ryan bt Rasmus Nielsen 11-8, 11-2, 11-5
Steve Richardson bt Morten W Sorensen 11-5, 11-9, 11-3
Final positions: 1 Ireland, 2 Denmark, 3 Austria
Pool D:
[5] SWITZERLAND drew with [4] SWEDEN 2/2
Nicolas Mueller bt Rasmus Hult 11-4, 11-7, 11-2
Patrick Miescher lost to Romain Tenant 8-11, 5-11, 7-11
Reiko Peter bt Gustav Detter 13-11, 11-9, 11-4
Lukas Burkhart lost to Christian Drakenberg 11-8, 5-11, 6-11, 2-11
Final positions: 1 Switzerland, 2 Sweden
Division 2 Women's Qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[1] SWITZERLAND bt [4] BELGIUM 3/0
Sara Guebey bt Yara Delagrange 11-7, 11-7, 11-6
Gaby Schmohl bt Kim Hannes 11-9, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8
Agapi Kazamia bt Liesbeth Dries 2-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8
[5] FINLAND bt [2] WALES 2/1
Elina Kononen bt Tesni Evans 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11
Saara Valtola lost to Deon Saffery 4-11, 8-11, 11-13
Jutta Tuunanen bt Hannah Jane Davies 11-8, 12-10, 11-8
[6] CZECH REPUBLIC bt [3] AUSTRIA 2/1
Veronika Koukalova lost to Sandra Polak 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 12-14
Lucie Fialova bt Birgit Coufal 13-11, 7-11, 11-7, 8-11, 13-11
Klara Janoskova bt Judith Gradnitzer 11-7, 11-7, 11-6