Source Notes

Gennaro Gattuso's thunderbolt shattered England's young hearts on a mist-shrouded Turin night.  But coach-elect Sven Goran Eriksson should feel at least partially encouraged after watching a gutsy England display against a near full-strength Italy side.  England were unlucky not to be awarded at least one penalty as Peter Taylor's new-look side were beaten by a moment of sheer power from former Rangers star Gattuso.  Although England pressed for a late equaliser, Giovanni Trapattoni's team held firm and there was no way back for the visitors.  England at least had a much better shape than they did against Germany in October, though it would have been difficult for them not to have.

It was one of the most youthful sides ever fielded by England and it took them time to get into their stride.  The Stadio Delle Alpi, home of Juventus, was less than a third full for the match with just 22,000 turning out.

And it was a positively low key opening to a game played in sodden conditions.  Emile Heskey, in his most effective international game to date, had England's first serious attempt on goal when he tried his luck from 25 yards but saw the ball narrowly fly over.  Taylor had to make a change when Nicky Butt limped out of the game and was replaced by Liverpool's Jamie Carragher, who was making his second England appearance.  David James easily held on to a low 20-yard effort from Angelo di Livio as the half-hour mark was reached with the game still in second gear.

England grew in stature with the Italians content to sit back in midfield and let the visitors push tentatively into their half.  Beckham - looking for only his second international goal - caused Gianluigi Buffon to fumble his speculative 30-yard effort before the Italian keeper grabbed the ball to leave the game goalless at half time.

Trapattoni made a double change early in the second period with Roberto Di Biagio and Zenoni asked to inject more life into the Italians.  The game turned moments after Ray Parlour's shot was kept out by Buffon. Beckham was felled in the box and Gattuso, reacting angrily appeared to aim a slap at his head as the England skipper moved back up field.  But the Italians quickly broke forward with the perfect counter-attack which cost England dear.  Gattuso let fly from fully 30 yards with a potent strike which James had no chance of stopping.

England had penalty appeals rejected when Heskey went down in the box under a challenge from Alessandro Nesta as Hungarian referee Sandor Puhl ignored their claims.  Both coaches made several changes and Derby's Seth Johnson almost equalised with his first international touch. He raced into the area to meet a Dyer cross but Buffon pulled off his best save of the night to keep the ball out.  But England also came close to snatching an equaliser when a corner from Beckham picked out Gareth Southgate at the far post and his downward header flew only inches wide.  The game ended amid a torrential downfall and despite being beaten, England's spirits were not dampened too much.  How much Eriksson learnt from the game remains to be seen. It is likely that the next England squad - to face Spain in February - will be vastly different from this one.

This was the last match for Hungarian referee Sandor Puhl, who was retiring at 45 after a long career marked by both distinction and controversy in which he presided over five other England matches.  He earned his FIFA badge in 1988 and refereed the 1994 World Cup final match between Italy and Brazil in Los Angeles.  By then he had taken charge of two England matches, the scoreless draw with France in Sweden at the 1992 European Championship and the 2-0 loss to Norway in Oslo in 1993 that virtually put an end to England's hopes of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup finals.  After refereeing one of the long string of England friendlies leading up to the 1996 European Championship, the 3-1 win against Switzerland at Wembley Stadium in 1995, he handled two crucial Wembley matches, the 1996 European Championship semi-final, when England drew 1-1 with Germany but went out on penalty kicks, and the 1-0 loss to Italy in early 1997, England's first defeat at home in a World Cup qualifier.  But in December, 1997 UEFA suspended Puhl for the remainder of the season because of his performance in a European Champions' League match between Feyenoord and Manchester United.  UEFA said he "failed to inflict the appropriate sanction" after Paul Bosvelt felled United's Irish international defender Denis Irwin with a lunge to the knee during the match in Rotterdam on November 5, 1997.  It noted he had seen the incident but failed to take any action beyond giving a free kick and did not even mention it in his match report.

TheFA.com
BBC football
Original newspaper reports
Official Teamsheet
Rothman's Yearbooks
____________________

CG/PY