Barkley had, for the most part, kept it simple, but he almost marked his debut with a goal when he was just inches off target with a powerful low shot.
And he almost marked his 103rd cap with a spectacular strike, only to see his 30-yard free-kick turned away acrobatically by Bravo.
Ashley Cole, afforded a great ovation when Hodgson presented him with his golden cap before kick-off, almost marked the occasion by giving England the lead three minutes into the second half.
Gudjohnsen, 36, almost marked his first home start for Bolton in 14 years with a goal, shooting wide after getting on the end of a Liam Feeney cross.
Odegaard almost marked his debut with a goal, beating a handful of defenders before passing to team-mate Thomas Sorum to score.
Swansea started to take control and midfielder Darren Pratley almost marked his return to the Swans' starting line-up with a goal 17 minutes in, but his effort from 12 yards struck the post.
The 28-year-old, who won the 2011 World Cup with the All Blacks during his hiatus in rugby union, almost marked his comeback with a second-half try.
Pete can't accept that, and he almost literally marks his territory by leaving a beer bottle in Tammy's cake.
Once, after a dreadful night that had seen them eliminated from the Champions League by Basel, journalists arrived at Liverpool's Swiss hotel to find Houllier studying faxes of every match report of the game, almost marking them like the schoolteacher he had once been.
Diana consecrates Blair, but so does Elizabeth, whose bafflement at the sharing-and-caring of "the people," as she calls them, almost marks her for extinction.
