Switzerland 0 Italy 0: MARCELLO LIPPI, coach to world champions Italy, pronounced himself satisfied after last night's 0-0 friendly draw with Switzerland in Basel.
The Italian coach had indicated that last night’s game would serve as a vital step in preparation for forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria next month and, of course, against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin in October.
Reflecting on the fact that Italy came into the game on the back of a humiliating failure last June in the Confederations Cup in South Africa, Lippi seemed more than happy with an Italian team that featured two newcomers in Genoa defender Domencio Criscito and Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio.
“We’ve restarted tonight with another spirit, another attitude. We had a lot of chances, especially in the first half and then after that we almost lost the game, but frankly that would have been an injustice. However, this is a very positive start to the year. As for the new boys, they’re here tonight because they will play again.”
In truth, Italy did make a bright start to a game which they might well have won in the opening 20 minutes when not only did striker Alberto Gilardino and debutant Marchisio both have good chances but also defender Giorgio Chiellini had a goal (correctly) disallowed.
From then on, however, there were worrying signs for Italy as Switzerland reorganized their defence, leaving Italy much less space up front whilst themselves looking more and more dangerous in attack.
Not for nothing, one of the best Swiss chances of the night came in the 88th minute when substitute Eren Derdiyok forced Juventus goalkeeper Gigi Buffon to make a good save. Both coaches, Lippi and Ottmar Hitzfeld, made six changes, making it difficult to draw many hard and fast conclusions from the game.
However, Lippi will have been pleased with the character and temperament shown by the two new caps, Criscito and Marchisio, both of whom came agonizingly close to crowning their international debuts with a goal.
In the end, however, this game is likely to be recalled in future for one reason only. Namely the fact that World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro won his 127th cap last night, overtaking his longtime Italian team mate Paolo Maldini to become the most capped Italian player of all time.
SWITZERLAND (4-4-2):Benaglio; Degen, Senderos, Grichting, Magnin; Padalino, Fernandez, Inler, Barnetta; Frey, N'Kufo Subs: Yakin for Degen 69; Streller for Frei 69; Schwegler for N'Kufo (69); Vonlanthen for Barnetta (79); Derdiok for Padalino (84); Ziegler for Magnin (87).
ITALY (4-4-2):Buffon; Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Criscito; Camoranesi, Pirlo, Palombo, Marchisio; Gilardino, Rossi Subs: Pepe for Camoranesi (31); Santon for Zambrotta (46); Iaquinta for Gilardino (46); D'Agostino for Pirlo (60); Quagliarella for Rossi (60), Grosso for Marchisio (73).
Referee:R Kirchner (Germany)
