Andros Townsend strikes as England draw in Italy
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ByEurosport
Updated 01/04/2015 at 09:19 GMT
International friendly, Juventus Stadium - Italy 1 (Pelle 29) England 1 (Townsend 79)
taly's Graziano Pelle (L) and Marco Parolo react as England's Michael Carrick looks on (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
Andros Townsend rescued a 1-1 draw for England as their seven-match winning run was brought to a halt by Italy in Turin.
The Spurs winger has made a habit of saving his best for the international stage and he did it again for the Three Lions as he came off the bench to crash home a wonderful equaliser 11 minutes from time.
Italy had bossed the first period and deservedly led when Southampton striker Graziano Pelle guided home on the half hour after Phil Jones had failed to stop Giorgio Chiellini's run and cross.
Roy Hodgson used the encounter to experiment with his line-up and gave Tottenham's Harry Kane his full bow. The forward was starved of service for much of the first half but did have a hand in the move that saw Wayne Rooney hit the crossbar with a deflected volley.
The Three Lions improved after the break and Kane saw a low shot drift just wide of the near post while Kieran Gibbs should have done better when he fired into the side netting after fine link-up between England's front two. The Rooney and Kane partnership had some real moments of promise and the Spurs striker will be happy with his display on his first start for his country.
The visitors continued to press as the game got stretched and after Townsend levelled they almost won it, but Rooney was denied by the impressive Gianluigi Buffon.
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(L to R top) Italy's Andrea Ranocchia, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Graziano Pelle (R) fight for an aerial ball with England's Phil Jagielka (L) and Phil Jones (2nd R) (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
KEY MOMENTS
PRE-MATCH: Harry Kane starts. As expected, Kane makes his full debut for England and will lead the attack alongside Theo Walcott, with captain Wayne Rooney in support. Kieran Gibbs, Phil Jagielka and Chris Smalling also feature as Roy Hodgson makes five changes to the side that saw off Lithuania. Phil Jones assumes an unfamiliar role in midfield while it is also a notable evening for Joe Hart who wins his 50th cap between the sticks.
21' - WOODWORK! Kane's far post knockdown is only cleared as far as Rooney who sees his snap volley deflect onto the crossbar. Unlucky.
29' - GOAL! Italy 1-0 England. Chiellini skins Jones on the left and whips in a cross that Pelle glances into the far corner. Simple but effective.
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Italy's Graziano Pelle (obscured) celebrates with his team mates after scoring against England (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
50' - GREAT SAVE! Hart pulls off a fine stop to thwart Eder from Darmian's delicious pass before Pelle somehow contrives to blaze wide after a scuffed clearance put it on a plate for him. England with a big let off there.
52' - ENGLAND CHANCE! Carrick's low pass is met by Kane who pulls free in the area before seeing a low shot deflect wide at the near post.
55' - ENGLAND CHANCE! Kane and Rooney combine brilliantly to tee up Gibbs who fires wide of the near post from eight yards.
72' - ENGLAND CHANCE! Rooney capitalises upon an error by Chiellini but thunders his strike straight at Buffon who pushes it away.
79' - GOAL! Italy 1-1 England. Townsend does it again for England. The Spurs winger drifts beyond a challenge and fizzes a rising shot into the far corner from 20 yards. One apiece.
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Andros Townsend fires home the equaliser
Image credit: PA Sport
81' - ENGLAND CHANCE! Rooney breaks free on the left of the area but his low shot is diverted away by the boot of Buffon.
86' - ITALY CHANCE! Luca Antonelli takes advantage of good approach by Immobile but arrows his low effort wide of the far post. He should have scored.
KEY STATS
Joe Hart is the youngest England stopper to reach 50 caps.
Giorgio Chiellini has either scored (2) or assisted (2) four of the last eight Italy's goals.
England completed 126 passes in the final third of the pitch, 42 more than Italy (84).
All three of Andros Townsend's goals for England have come from outside the box.
(Stats courtesy of Opta and Infostrada)
TALKING POINT
Harry Kane's full bow. There are plenty of positives England can take from the second half of this friendly with Townsend, Carrick and Barkley all impressive. However, all eyes were on Kane in the lead up to this one and the young forward took it in his stride. He developed into a real threat as England improved after the interval and showed enough quality to suggest he could well forge a promising link up with Wayne Rooney.
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Italy's Emiliano Moretti (L) fights for the ball with England's Harry Kane (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
MAN OF THE MATCH.
Michael Carrick (England): Townsend and Kane will get the press but it was the introduction of Carrick in midfield that transformed England's performance. The Phil Jones holding role experiment was not a success and Carrick showed just how to do it as he helped control the midfield after the break.
PLAYER RATINGSItaly: Buffon 7, Ranocchia 6, Bonucci 7, Chiellini 7, Florenzi 6, Parolo 7, Valdifiori 6, Soriano 6, Darmian 7, Pelle 7, Eder 6. Subs: Abate 6, Verratti 7, Immobile 7, Vazquez 6, Antonelli 6, Moretti 6.
England: Hart 7, Clyne 6, Gibbs 6, Henderson 6, Smalling 5, Jagielka 7, Walcott 6, Jones 6, Kane 7, Rooney 7, Delph 6. Subs: Walker 7, Carrick 8, Townsend 7, Mason 6, Bertrand n/a, Barkley 7.
MATCH IN A TWEET
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