I thought Italy was a bit too cocky after downing a limited Holland side... time for some humility I suppose.
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Friendlies: Azzurri - Holland / Ivory Coast (1 Viewer)
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International friendly - 16/11/05 (20.00)
Italy 1 - 1 Ivory Coast
Drogba 69 (Iv), Diana 87 (It)
Geneva, Switzerland
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Aimo Diana's goal ensured the Azzurri remain unbeaten in 2005 after Didier Drogba's opener for the Ivory Coast, but there was controversy in stoppages.
This was the first ever meeting between these two nations, though the Ivory Coast has just qualified for the World Cup and can boast Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Arsenal's Kolo Toure. Marcello Lippi made six changes from the line-up that beat Holland 3-1 on Saturday, but stuck with the 4-3-3 system and Alessandro Del Piero for his 71st cap.
It was Christian Abbiati who had to make the first spectacular save after just three minutes. Drogba sprinted off on the counter-attack and rolled across for Arouna Dindane, whose shot stung Abbiati's palms at the near post.
The Azzurri created a good opportunity with Alberto Gilardino turning his marker, but Boka dived in to close down Del Piero's finish. Soon after, Daniele De Rossi cut back for Simone Barone and another interception proved decisive.
Del Piero nearly scored from an Andrea Pirlo set-piece, his volley striking the back of an African defender when the goalkeeper appeared to be stranded.
However, the Ivory Coast remained very dangerous when they did push forward and a glancing header from Lecce's Andre Kpolo Zoro dribbled wide of the target.
Gilardino did brilliantly to flick the ball up between two defenders with his left foot and spin round for the right-foot volley, but his finish was over the bar. Del Piero then burst forward through the centre and saw his shot deflected wide.
There was a moment of panic when Abbiati dropped a fierce Drogba free kick that dipped mercilessly, but the Juventus goalkeeper was able to control it at the second attempt.
Del Piero combined well with Vincenzo Iaquinta only for the Udinese striker to horribly scuff his shot inside the area.
Abbiati was kept on his toes and again had his palms stung by a fierce snapshot from Yapi Yapo, as the Ivory Coast began to take control of the game towards the end of the first half.
Lippi made five substitutions at half-time, switching to a 4-4-2 system, with Luca Toni, Mauro Camoranesi, Aimo Diana, Massimo Oddo and Gennaro Gattuso coming on. Oddo required a perfectly timed intervention to stop Kone getting on the end of a smart through ball.
Moments later, Iaquinta sprung the offside trap on Toni's pass, but hesitated and his cross-shot was intercepted. At the other end, Koune's low effort was gathered by Abbiati.
Olympiakos defender Toure was booked for a very late challenge on Diana before Gianluca Zambrotta replaced Fabio Grosso.
The deadlock was eventually broken on 69 minutes and it was thanks to a fantastic strike from Didier Drogba. Boka's long pass over the defence found Chelsea's record signing, who controlled with his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from seven yards.
Livorno goalkeeper Marco Amelia received his senior international debut for the final 20 minutes of this friendly match. Lippi was short on goalkeepers, as Gianluigi Buffon, Angelo Peruzzi, Morgan De Sanctis and Flavio Roma are all injured.
There was a worrying moment when Gattuso clattered into Boka and the African suffered a deep cut to his eyebrow, forcing him to go off. The Milan midfielder was also injured in the incident, but not seriously.
Italy protected their unbeaten record in 2005 with a last-gasp equaliser. Luca Toni had his first effort on Zambrotta's cross charged down, but substitute Diana pounced to rifle in from four yards.
Camoranesi could've made it 2-1 in the final minute, but his weak shot wiped out Toni's good work. In stoppages, Camoranesi cut in for Gattuso, whose chip drifted just wide of the far post.
There was controversy in stoppages, as Italy poured forward on the counter-attack and Diana's volley was caught by the goalkeeper on the line. The Sampdoria man believed it had already crossed over, but replays remain inconclusive.
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Italy: Abbiati (Amelia 72); Zaccardo (Oddo 46), Barzagli, Materazzi, Grosso (Zambrotta 63); Barone, Pirlo (Diana 46), De Rossi (Gattuso 46); Gilardino (Toni 46), Iaquinta, Del Piero (Camoranesi 46)
Ivory Coast: Boubacar; Zoro, Kolo Toure, Meite, Boka (Tiene 78); Yaya Toure (Romaric 72), Zokora (B Kone 46), Yapi Yapo, A Kone (Abdullaje 72); Drogba (Akale 81), Dindane
Italy 1 - 1 Ivory Coast
Drogba 69 (Iv), Diana 87 (It)
Geneva, Switzerland
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aimo Diana's goal ensured the Azzurri remain unbeaten in 2005 after Didier Drogba's opener for the Ivory Coast, but there was controversy in stoppages.
This was the first ever meeting between these two nations, though the Ivory Coast has just qualified for the World Cup and can boast Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Arsenal's Kolo Toure. Marcello Lippi made six changes from the line-up that beat Holland 3-1 on Saturday, but stuck with the 4-3-3 system and Alessandro Del Piero for his 71st cap.
It was Christian Abbiati who had to make the first spectacular save after just three minutes. Drogba sprinted off on the counter-attack and rolled across for Arouna Dindane, whose shot stung Abbiati's palms at the near post.
The Azzurri created a good opportunity with Alberto Gilardino turning his marker, but Boka dived in to close down Del Piero's finish. Soon after, Daniele De Rossi cut back for Simone Barone and another interception proved decisive.
Del Piero nearly scored from an Andrea Pirlo set-piece, his volley striking the back of an African defender when the goalkeeper appeared to be stranded.
However, the Ivory Coast remained very dangerous when they did push forward and a glancing header from Lecce's Andre Kpolo Zoro dribbled wide of the target.
Gilardino did brilliantly to flick the ball up between two defenders with his left foot and spin round for the right-foot volley, but his finish was over the bar. Del Piero then burst forward through the centre and saw his shot deflected wide.
There was a moment of panic when Abbiati dropped a fierce Drogba free kick that dipped mercilessly, but the Juventus goalkeeper was able to control it at the second attempt.
Del Piero combined well with Vincenzo Iaquinta only for the Udinese striker to horribly scuff his shot inside the area.
Abbiati was kept on his toes and again had his palms stung by a fierce snapshot from Yapi Yapo, as the Ivory Coast began to take control of the game towards the end of the first half.
Lippi made five substitutions at half-time, switching to a 4-4-2 system, with Luca Toni, Mauro Camoranesi, Aimo Diana, Massimo Oddo and Gennaro Gattuso coming on. Oddo required a perfectly timed intervention to stop Kone getting on the end of a smart through ball.
Moments later, Iaquinta sprung the offside trap on Toni's pass, but hesitated and his cross-shot was intercepted. At the other end, Koune's low effort was gathered by Abbiati.
Olympiakos defender Toure was booked for a very late challenge on Diana before Gianluca Zambrotta replaced Fabio Grosso.
The deadlock was eventually broken on 69 minutes and it was thanks to a fantastic strike from Didier Drogba. Boka's long pass over the defence found Chelsea's record signing, who controlled with his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from seven yards.
Livorno goalkeeper Marco Amelia received his senior international debut for the final 20 minutes of this friendly match. Lippi was short on goalkeepers, as Gianluigi Buffon, Angelo Peruzzi, Morgan De Sanctis and Flavio Roma are all injured.
There was a worrying moment when Gattuso clattered into Boka and the African suffered a deep cut to his eyebrow, forcing him to go off. The Milan midfielder was also injured in the incident, but not seriously.
Italy protected their unbeaten record in 2005 with a last-gasp equaliser. Luca Toni had his first effort on Zambrotta's cross charged down, but substitute Diana pounced to rifle in from four yards.
Camoranesi could've made it 2-1 in the final minute, but his weak shot wiped out Toni's good work. In stoppages, Camoranesi cut in for Gattuso, whose chip drifted just wide of the far post.
There was controversy in stoppages, as Italy poured forward on the counter-attack and Diana's volley was caught by the goalkeeper on the line. The Sampdoria man believed it had already crossed over, but replays remain inconclusive.
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Italy: Abbiati (Amelia 72); Zaccardo (Oddo 46), Barzagli, Materazzi, Grosso (Zambrotta 63); Barone, Pirlo (Diana 46), De Rossi (Gattuso 46); Gilardino (Toni 46), Iaquinta, Del Piero (Camoranesi 46)
Ivory Coast: Boubacar; Zoro, Kolo Toure, Meite, Boka (Tiene 78); Yaya Toure (Romaric 72), Zokora (B Kone 46), Yapi Yapo, A Kone (Abdullaje 72); Drogba (Akale 81), Dindane
Not a bad game overall but Italy have problems if they are gonna persist with this kinda attitude all the time
Yes its a friendly but you are still playing for your country and should take pride in that, besides it helps your ranking and seeding in the world cup so i am disgusted with the attitude that Pirlo brought to the game, he was so lackadasical it was untrue.
Abbiatti has no business playing for a big club never mind going to the wc and I am not talking about the goal which was not his fault, its his very poor handling, his needless punching of the ball and his lack of authority as a goalie
If by some reason he is Italy's number 1 then the azzurri have absolutely no chance. I cannot wait for Buffon as Abbiatti will cost Juve big time if we persist with him
Not sure why Oddo is not the permanent right back player as he is head and shoulders above the rest
If yesterday's game is anything to go by then Grosso has no business playing for the Nt nor has Barone
While Iaquinta is just a joke.
As for Materazzi, i am just astonished that he plays in serieA let alone for Inter and the Nt
I don't think Dp was Italy's best player in the first half, Gilardino was probably the most active forward , but his end product was poor and De rossi the best player
On the plus side, Diana looked good, Toni and Gilardino are very good, Camoranesi is a good outlet while De Rossi looks like a future Italy captain
Totti is the only one that can play in the hole properly and lets hope Cassano is fit mentally and physically
Ironically this is probably Italy's weakest squad in terms of class in a while but they just might do well as they have a better manager now and togetherness
What Lippi would have achieved with the talent of 2002 is just mere conjecture at this point, boy, did the Italian FA mess up big time with Trapatoni
Yes its a friendly but you are still playing for your country and should take pride in that, besides it helps your ranking and seeding in the world cup so i am disgusted with the attitude that Pirlo brought to the game, he was so lackadasical it was untrue.
Abbiatti has no business playing for a big club never mind going to the wc and I am not talking about the goal which was not his fault, its his very poor handling, his needless punching of the ball and his lack of authority as a goalie
If by some reason he is Italy's number 1 then the azzurri have absolutely no chance. I cannot wait for Buffon as Abbiatti will cost Juve big time if we persist with him
Not sure why Oddo is not the permanent right back player as he is head and shoulders above the rest
If yesterday's game is anything to go by then Grosso has no business playing for the Nt nor has Barone
While Iaquinta is just a joke.
As for Materazzi, i am just astonished that he plays in serieA let alone for Inter and the Nt
I don't think Dp was Italy's best player in the first half, Gilardino was probably the most active forward , but his end product was poor and De rossi the best player
On the plus side, Diana looked good, Toni and Gilardino are very good, Camoranesi is a good outlet while De Rossi looks like a future Italy captain
Totti is the only one that can play in the hole properly and lets hope Cassano is fit mentally and physically
Ironically this is probably Italy's weakest squad in terms of class in a while but they just might do well as they have a better manager now and togetherness
What Lippi would have achieved with the talent of 2002 is just mere conjecture at this point, boy, did the Italian FA mess up big time with Trapatoni