Italy 3 - 0 N Ireland
Rossi 19 (I), Foggia 52 (I), Pellissier 73 (I)
Arena Garibaldi, Pisa
Giuseppe Rossi, Pasquale Foggia and a sensational Sergio Pellissier scored their first Azzurri goals against Northern Ireland, but Giampaolo Pazzini's penalty was saved.
An experimental side with players "rewarded for a good season" filled the squad for this test ahead of the Confederations Cup. 18-year-old Inter defender Davide Santon, Udinese midfielder Gaetano D'Agostino and Catania's Giuseppe Mascara got their debuts and Gennaro Gattuso returned for the first time since knee surgery six months ago.
Northern Ireland also tested new faces Chris Casement, Colin Coates, Corry Evans and Steve Carson. This was the seventh meeting between these nations, which so far had seen four Italy wins, a draw and one loss on January 15, 1958.
There were fears of protests from local fans, angry that Pisa had been relegated recently to Lega Pro, but any ultras targeting trouble were by far in the minority.
Santon whipped in an early cross for the Irish defence to anticipate Giampaolo Pazzini, while captain Gattuso proved he's not anxious after his injury with a crunching tackle on Evans.
On 16 minutes Pazzini finally got past the offside trap on a chipped Riccardo Montolivo pass from the centre-circle, but his half-volley was over the bar.
It was only a warning, as soon after Giuseppe Rossi scored a cracker to break his Azzurri duck! D'Agostino and Mascara combined with one-touch football and Rossi swerved a left-foot missile in at the near post from the very edge of the box.
Santon's through ball released Pazzini, but this time Jonathan Tuffey came out to gather at his feet. Fabio Grosso ran on to a splendid D'Agostino searching pass and squeezed between two defenders before Damien Johnson's desperate tackle.
It should've been 2-0 from the Mascara corner kick, but Alessandro Gamberini's free header was cleared off the line by Johnson once again! On the counter from that same move, David Healy fired wide.
D'Agostino curled a free kick off target, while Pazzini chested down the ball and got past Casement, but slipped and the chance went begging. Marchetti's first touch came after 37 minutes when he comfortably gathered a Healy effort.
There was a fast-paced and chaotic move with the ball ricocheting around the box before Mascara's low drive on the turn was blocked by Tuffey.
Montolivo was unlucky not to score just before half-time, as he combined with Pazzini and his shot was deflected, but Tuffey showed good reflexes to parry with an outstretched foot.
Rossi could've gone for his second, but smartly dummied a pass across for Pazzini and the Sampdoria striker was closed down for a corner as he pulled the trigger.
Lippi made four changes at half-time, as Andrea Dossena, Angelo Palombo, Matteo Brighi and Pasquale Foggia replaced Grosso, Montolivo, Gattuso and Mascara. Rossi moved out wide to the left with Lazio man Foggia on the right.
Aside from Healy limping off injured, Northern Ireland made no substitutions. Marchetti made his first genuine save when Nicola Legrottaglie slipped to allow Rangers' Andrew Little a shot from distance.
Marchetti had another scare when he dribbled the ball outside his area under pressure, but the debutant kept his cool to clear.
Italy doubled their lead with another stylish strike. Rossi gathered in midfield and skipped past his marker to immediately thread through for Foggia, who nutmegged Casement and cheekily chipped the helpless Tuffey. It was the Lazio star's first goal for the Azzurri.
Pazzini's turn was charged down in the D, but as the move continued a Legrottaglie through ball sent the Sampdoria striker through and Tuffey brought him down for a penalty. The goalkeeper was booked, as he was trying to get the ball, but Pazzini got to it first. D'Agostino was set to take the penalty, but he gave it to Pazzini and the spot-kick was palmed on to the inside of the near post!
Foggia and Santon combined brilliantly down the right for the Inter teen's cross to be cleared and as the move continued Tuffey flew to push Foggia's curling strike out from under the bar. D'Agostino tried to score directly from the corner flag and hit the near post!
Grant McCann's free kick was well over, while Ireland were fortunate Rossi didn't make the most of a defensive howler. Foggia trapped a difficult ball and placed a slide-rule pass for the on-rushing Rossi, but Tuffey got there first.
30-year-old Chievo striker Sergio Pellissier made his Italy debut, replacing Pazzini. It was Alan Mannus' chance to take over between the Irish posts.
D'Agostino and Rossi exchanged quick one-touch passes, but the Villarreal man was a little too late to get the shot away. McCann fired another free kick over, but Foggia was running riot and swapped feet to leave two defenders stranded before an acrobatic clearance prevented the cross reaching Pellissier.
Pellissier scored a wonderful goal on his senior Italy debut, aged 30. A throw-in was lobbed into the area by Brighi, where Pellissier with his back to goal chested down and spun on the volley for an unstoppable strike at the near post! It was a truly magnificent finish from the Chievo hitman.
Siena's Daniele Galloppa also received his debut by replacing D'Agostino for the final 15 minutes. Pellissier was unlucky not to bag a brace, as a long ball sent him totally clear on goal in the final third, but Mannus did well to get down to block the low drive with an outstretched hand.
Brighi hoped to get on the scoresheet too with a looping header that Mannus fingertipped out from under the bar. Coates got just enough of a touch to stop Legrottaglie nodding in Santon's cross from six yards, then Foggia went for goal with a fierce snapshot that hit the side-netting.