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932 vs. Italy
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
An Axpo-Ochsner Sport International Friendly Match celebrating Italy's 30th anniversary World Cup Finals win


Italy 1 England 2 [1-1]
 

Stade de Suisse, Wankdorf, Bern, Switzerland
Kick-off (CEST): 8.59pm 7.59pm BST.
Attendance: 15,000.

Italy kicked-off 93 minutes 45:09 & 48:07
[1-0] Daniele De Rossi header 15 14:21
 6 yard powerful header just under the crossbar ahead of Carrick from a Diamanti corner

[1≡1] Phil Jagielka header 27
26:57
Frank Lampard: CREATIVE
7-yard diving header low into far post from a Lampard corner
  [1-1] Gary Cahill volleyed goal disallowed: foul 65:58
[1-1] Joleon Lescott reaction shot hits the post
72:33
[1-1] Jermain Defoe goal disallowed: foul 74:46
[1-2] Jermain Defoe 79 78:59
James Milner: CREATIVE
20-yard right-footed curler from a Milner thro' ball moments after Bertarnd had cleared an Italian corner
Diego Fabbrini 86 85:05  
Commentator: Clive Tyldesley with Andy Townsend
 

Match Summary

Officials from Switzerland

Italy Squad

Type

England Squad
Referee (black) - Sascha Kever
37 (24 April 1975), Vezia, FIFA-listed 2007.

Assistant Referees - Raffael Zader, 31 (10 August 1980), Luzerne, and Devis Dettamanti, 32 (21 June 1980).
Fourth official - Alain Bieri
, 33 (13 March 1979), Bern.

11 Goal Attempts 12
4 Attempts on Target 6
0 Hit Bar/Post 1
8 Corner Kicks Won 4
1 Offside Calls Against 3
19 Fouls Conceded 14
53.8% Possession 46.2%

Italy Team

 

Rank:

FIFA (8 August 2012) 6th
EFO ranking Group 2 to 3

ELO rating 10th to 9th
Colours: Made by Puma - Azure blue buttoned-up nehru collared jerseys with white collar with green/white/red trim, blue shorts with white trim/rear hem, blue socks with white tops.
Capt: Daniele De Rossi Manager: Cesare Claudio Prandelli, 54 (19 August 1957), appointed 30 May 2010, effective August 2010.
Italy Lineup
1 Sirigu, Salvatore 25
216 days
12 January 1987 G Paris St Germain FC, France 3 0
20 Abate, Ignazio, off 86th min. 25
277 days
12 November 1986 RB AC Milan 6 0
4 Ogbonna, Angelo O. 24
84 days
23 May 1988 CD Torino FC 4 0
13 Astori, Davide 25
221 days
7 January 1987 CD Casteddu Calcio 2 0
6 Balzaretti, Federico, off 46th min. 30
253 days
6 December 1981 LB AS Roma 13 0
16
De Rossi, Daniele 29
22 days
24 July 1983 RM AS Roma 79 11
23 Nocerino, Antonio 27
128 days
9 April 1985 CM AC Milan 14 0
10 Aquilani, Alberto, off 68th min. 28
39 days
7 July 1984 LM AC Fiorentina 22 3
22
Diamanti, Alessandro, off 59th min. 29
105 days
2 May 1983 RF Bologna FC 1909 5 0
9 Destro, Mattia, off 82nd min. 21
148 days
20 March 1991 CF AS Roma 1 0
7 El Shaarawy, Stephan, off 59th min. 19
293 days
27 October 1992 LF AC Milan 1 0
Italy Substitutes
scoreline: Italy 1 England 1
3 Peluso, Federico, on 46th min. for Balzaretti 28
208 days
20 January 1984 LB Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio 1 0
19 Verratti, Marco, on 59th min. (58:18) for Diamanti 19
284 days
5 November 1992 RF Paris St Germain FC, France 1 0
18 Gabbiadini, Manolo, on 59th min. for (58:25) for El Shaarawy 20
263 days
26 November 1991 LF Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio 1 0
8 Poli, Andrea, on 68th min. (68:00) for Aquilani 22
321 days
29 September 1989 LM UC Sampdoria 1 0
scoreline: Italy 1 England 2
14 Fabbrini, Diego, on 82nd min. for Destro 21
15 days
31 July 1990 CF Udinese Calcio 1 0
Fabbrini cautioned in the 86th minute for Unsporting Behaviour.
11 Schelotto, Ezequiel M., on 86th min. (85:28) for Abate 23
84 days
23 May 1989 RB Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio 1 0
result: Italy 1 England 2
unused substitutes: 2-Mattia de Sciglio, 5-Francesco Acerbi, 12-Mattia Perin, 15-Daniele Gastaldello, 21-Andrea Consigli.
 
4-3-3 Sirigu -
Abate
(Schelotto), Ogbonna, Astori, Balzaretti (Peluso) -
De Rossi, Nocerino, Aquilani (Poli) -
Diamanti (Verratti), Destro (Fabbrini), El Shaarawy (Gabbiadini).
Averages (Starting XI): Age 26 years 31 days Appearances/Goals 13.6 1.2
least experienced opposing XI in 2012-13 (least to date)

 

England Team

 

Rank:

FIFA (8 August 2012) 3rd
EFO ranking Group 3 to 2

ELO rating 5th to 4th
Colours: The 2012 home shirt - White v-neck collared jerseys with red piping on collar, red shorts, white socks with two-tone red hoop.
Capt: Frank Lampard
(third (8) captaincy (1)).
Michael Carrick 69th minute.
Manager: Roy Hodgson, 65 (9 August 1947), appointed 1 May 2012,
7th match, W 5 - D 2 - L 0 - F 9 - A 4.
England Lineup
  1 Butland, Jack, off 46th min. 19
158 days
10 March 1993 G Birmingham City FC 1 1ᵍᵃ
1183 the 17th City player to represent England
2 Walker, Kyle A. 22
79 days
28 May 1990 RB Tottenham Hotspur FC 3 0
3 Baines, Leighton J., off 78th min. 27
248 days
11 December 1984 LB Everton FC 9 0
4 Carrick, Michael 31
18 days
28 July 1981 CM Manchester United FC 23 0
5 Cahill, Gary J. 26
240 days
19 December 1985 CD Chelsea FC 10 2
6
Jagielka, Philip N., off 62nd min. 29
2 days
17 August 1982 CD Everton FC 13 1
7 Johnson, Adam 25
32 days
14 July 1987 LF Manchester City FC 12 2
final app 2010-12
8
Lampard, Frank J., off 69th min. 34
56 days
20 June 1978 RM Chelsea FC 91 22
9 Carroll, Andrew T., off 46th min. 23
222 days
6 January 1989 CF Liverpool FC 8 2
1184 10 Cleverley, Thomas W. 23
3 days
12 August 1989 LM Manchester United FC 1 0
the 62nd United player to represent England
11 Young, Ashley S., off 62nd min. 27
37 days
9 July 1985 RF Manchester United FC 26 6
England Substitutes
scoreline: Italy 1 England 1
  13 Ruddy, John T.G., on 46th min. for Butland 25
296 days
24 October 1986 G Norwich City FC 1 0ᵍᵃ
1185 the seventh City player to represent England only app 2012
19
Defoe, Jermain C., on 46th min. for Carroll
29
313 days
7 October 1982
CF
 
Tottenham Hotspur FC
49 17 16
32
72nd substitute goal record substitute appearances & record goals
     
12 Lescott, Joleon P., on 62nd min. (61:12) for Young 29
364 days
16 August 1982 CD Manchester City FC 21 15 1
6
16
Milner, James P., on 62nd min. (61:13) for Jagielka 26
224 days
4 January 1986 RM Manchester City FC 31 19 0
12
  17 Livermore, Jake C.L., on 69th min. (68:29) for Lampard 22
275 days
14 November 1989 RF Tottenham Hotspur FC 1 0
1186 the 69th Hotspur player to represent England
  14 Bertrand, Ryan D., on 78th min. (77:34) for Baines 23
10 days
5 August 1989 LB Chelsea FC 1 0
1187 the 44th Chelsea player to represent England
scoreline: Italy 1 England 2
unused substitutes: 15-Steven Caulker, 18-Jack Rodwell.
records: Phil Jagielka and Jermain Defoe are the 24th and 25th different England players to score against Italy (30 scored).
Manager Roy Hodgson had coached Switzerland against Italy in the World Cup quailfying matches on October 1992 and May 1993 (2-2 and 1-0), a friendly in June 1994 (0-1) and a Centenary friendly in June 1995 (0-1).
 
4-3-3 Butland (Ruddy) -
Walker, Cahill, Jagielka
(Lescott), Baines (Bertrand) -
Lampard
(Livermore), Carrick, Cleverley -
Young
(Milner), Carroll (Defoe), Johnson.
Averages (Starting XI): Age 26 years 134 days Appearances/Goals 17.9    3.2
least experienced starting XI in 2012-13

 

    Match Report by Mike Payne

It certainly had the feel of a pre-season friendly and, in effect, that is just what it was, as England began their season with a chance of revenge for what happened a few weeks ago in Kiev.  The European Championship quarter-final against Italy now seems years ago, but in fact only 52 days has elapsed since that disappointing night.

The two teams met again in Berne, Switzerland for this friendly and Roy Hodgson had the chance to put together a very experimental team.  He certainly gave youth a chance, giving no less than five players their England debuts.  Jack Butland, so solid in goal for Team GB's Olympic challenge, was given the chance to start in goal and in so doing he became the youngest ever England goalkeeper.  It was an ideal game for Jack to have his senior bow and he didn't let anyone down.

With both line-ups unrecognisable from the Euro 2012 tie, it was not surprising that in the early stages of the match it was cat and mouse as the teams felt each other out.  For the first ten minutes it was a typical England v Italy clash with both sides cagey and nervous.  Andy Carroll headed over from a Frank Lampard corner and then on 14 minutes Alessandro Diamanti saw his deflected free-kick scrambled away by Butland.  From the resultant corner Italy took the lead, slightly against the run of play.  Poor defending gave Daniele Di Rossi the chance to glance a header goalwards.  Butland had no chance as the excellent header flew past him.  Another save by Butland was then followed by England hitting back as Lampard laid the ball to Adam Johnson, but his shot was straight at Salvatore Sirigu.

Mattia Destro was lively up front for the Italians and both Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka had their hands full with the talented forward.  On 27 minutes though, more good work by Johnson saw him combine with Kyle Walker to force a corner.  Lampard's kick dipped as it flew into the area and it was Jagielka who bravely dived in amongst the flying feet to glance home a fine headed equaliser.  It was his first goal for his country and no more than England deserved.

Lampard was always looking to fire in shots and one powerful drive just after the half hour mark forced a flappy save from Sirigu, which he managed to get away with, and as England continued to dictate, Lampard again came close.  He, and the recalled Michael Carrick, were both showing up well in the midfield for England, and new cap Tom Cleverly was also making a very useful contribution with his workrate and passing skills.  At the other end Butland blocked a cross from the left with his foot and on 40 minutes Ashley Young was fouled, not for the first time, on the edge of the box, and Lampard came very close with his free-kick.  The final action saw Ignacio Abate make a good run before firing a cross-cum-shot across goal with no Italian able to get a touch.  For all the possession that both sides enjoyed it was ironic that both goals had come from dead ball situations.

The second half began with another debutant John Ruddy of Norwich replacing Butland and Jermaine Defoe coming on for the disappointing Carroll.  Ruddy was soon in the action and made a solid save after four minutes of his debut.  England started the second half a little sloppily and Ruddy made a fine save from Destro.  Italy should then have scored but Federico Peluso shot wide when clean through on the left.

England gradually came back into it though and on the hour more good skills by Johnson forced a corner and Young then shot over.  James Milner and Joleon Lescott came on for Young and Jagielka and England improved further.  On 66 minutes Cahill volleyed home a fierce shot from a corner, only for the referee to harshly penalise Lescott for a foul when in fact he was the one being fouled.  More substitutions came on for Italy and Jake Livermore made his debut replacing Lampard, whilst later Ryan Bertrand became the fifth new England player on the night when he replaced the impressive Leighton Baines.

There was an amazing let-off for Italy on 72 minutes when Milner's teasing cross was first almost put through his own goal by Peluso, then saved by Sirigu, and then Lescott forced the ball against a post before the Italians managed to scramble the ball clear.  England then had another goal ruled out, this time by Defoe, again because Lescott was penalised for a foul.

Six minutes later Italy's Marco Verrati forced Ruddy into a fine tip over save, and the goalkeeper had certainly made his mark in his first appearance.  From the corner Bertrand headed off the line and after the clearance Milner broke away and fed a fine pass to Defoe.  It looked as though the Tottenham man had gone too wide and run up a blind alley as the Italians tracked back to cover.  But Defoe cut back inside and unleashed a superb shot towards the far post.  Sirigu managed a touch but the force of the shot beat him to give England the lead, a lead they deserved.  On 83 minutes more good work by Bertrand set up Defoe again but this time his shot was wide.

The game was hotting up now and Abate made a fine run before seeing his shot scrambled away.  England were not about to be denied though and Milner's brilliant run near the end so nearly set up Defoe again, only stopped by some desperate defending.  Milner had made a lively cameo appearance.

In the end England held on to their lead rather comfortably, and this ended up a very satisfying result for Roy's Boys.  Lots of positives to take from the game not least in the enthusiasm shown by the newcomers and the refreshing attitude of the more established players. everyone can be pleased with their night's work and it augers well for the important games coming up in a month's time.

Source Notes

TheFA.com
BBC Sport
FIGC.com
SkySports.com football
RateTheRef.com

Mike Payne - football historian and contributor
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