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Full Time After Extra Time This is a live match. Extra Time Half Time

Switzerland vs Italy. International Match.

Stade GeneveAttendance30,000.

Switzerland 1

  • G Inler (10th minute)

Italy 1

  • F Quagliarella (14th minute)

Azzurri held by Swiss

Image: Quagliarella: Headed equaliser

World Cup holders Italy finished their warm-up for the finals with a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in Geneva.

Quagliarella heads equaliser after Inler's opener

World Cup holders Italy finished their warm-up for the finals with a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in Geneva. The hosts took the lead via Udinese's Gokhan Inler in the 10th minute but Marcello Lippi's side equalised just four minutes later via Fabio Quagliarella. That effort proved to be the last of the scoring, although the Swiss will be happiest after they managed to outplay the defending champions for most of the match, putting to rest the shock of their defeat to Costa Rica last time out. But Italy will also take heart from a quirky historical statistic as they drew 1-1 with Switzerland prior to both the 1982 and 2006 World Cups - both of which they won. Inler grabbed the opening goal with a long-range effort, beating Federico Marchetti from 25 yards.

Quickly responded

But Italy quickly responded as Riccardo Montolivo crossed for Quagliarella to head home. However, Switzerland, cheered on by their home fans, were still on top as they created several more chances before the break. West Ham's Valon Behrami, who would later hobble off with an apparent muscular injury, saw a shot charged down by Giorgio Chiellini before Marchetti held Alexander Frei's shot. Frei then whipped in a free-kick that Gelson Fernandes headed just over from close range. The visitors were better in the second half, with Angelo Palombo enjoying a pair of chances but failing to test Alex Manninger.
Shot over
First, he sent a shot over from 30 yards, and then moments later he saw his effort blocked by Stephane Grichting when he met Antonio Di Natale's cross. Switzerland had three chances to win it late on. Eren Derdiyok headed wide from a good position before Alberto Gilardino did likewise at the other end. As the game moved into the final five minutes, Hakan Yakin, a late replacement for Frei, sent a free-kick wide from 25 yards, while Marchetti denied Xherdan Shaqiri in injury-time, parrying away his left-footed effort from 25 yards. Switzerland open their Group H campaign against Spain before later facing Chile and Honduras, while Italy are in Group F along with Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia.

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