Italy vs Spain. FIFA World Cup European Qualifying Group G.
Juventus Stadium.
Friday 7 October 2016 15:39, UK
Daniele De Rossi's late penalty helped Italy draw 1-1 with Spain in their World Cup Group G qualifier in Turin on Thursday night.
The visitors went ahead 10 minutes into the second half after a terrible mistake by veteran Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon presented a goal on a plate for Vitolo.
However, the Azzurri grabbed an unlikely point eight minutes from time after Sergio Ramos brought down substitute Ciro Immobile in the area, with De Rossi making no mistake from the spot.
As a result, both sides remain level on four points, two behind group leaders Albania after the opening two fixtures on the road to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
New Italy boss Giampiero Ventura made two changes from the side that beat Spain 2-0 at Euro 2016 last June, one of them enforced following Giorgio Chiellini's sending-off against Israel in their opening qualifier.
However, 38-year-old Juventus goalkeeper Buffon remained between the posts to win the 164th cap for his country.
Meanwhile Spain, also under new management after Julen Lopetegui replaced Vicente Del Bosque following last summer's European championship, made four alterations from that painful defeat in Paris.
And it was the visitors who controlled proceedings for the majority of the match, with Lopetegui's team having a whopping 73 per cent possession in the first period, albeit without ever really testing Buffon in Italy's goal.
The best two openings before the break both came the way of centre-back Gerard Pique, but the Barcelona defender somehow missed the target with his first, before heading straight at Buffon with the second.
It did not take La Roja long after the break, though, to break the deadlock as their constant probings eventually told, albeit after a horrible error by Buffon.
Sergio Busquets won the ball near the halfway line, before releasing Vitolo through the middle, although there appeared little threat as Buffon raced off his line to clear the danger.
However, the 'keeper somehow totally missed the ball, allowing the disbelieving Sevilla winger the simple task of tapping into an empty net.
Ventura reacted to seeing his new charges fall behind by bringing on Ciro Immobile in place of the disappointing Graziano Pelle, and the introduction of the Lazio striker breathed new life into the home side's attack.
At the same time, Vitolo really should have put the result beyond doubt after being played clean through on goal midway through the second half, only to drag his effort wide of the far post.
That miss was to prove crucial as Italy - who had not had a single effort on goal in the whole of the first half - came back into the contest, and their pressure was rewarded with a late penalty.
On-loan Inter Milan forward Eder was the man tripped in the box by Ramos, with German referee Felix Brych - after consultation with his assistant - eventually pointing to the spot.
De Rossi kept his cool and after a stuttering run-up, the Roma midfielder sent David de Gea the wrong way as Italy maintained their 10-year, 51-match unbeaten run in qualifiers.
