Italy and Germany play out tepid draw

Italy and Germany drew 1-1 in a lacklustre match at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza .

Germany scored on the eighth minute when Matt Hummels powered a Mario Goetze corner inside the post, past Gianluigi Buffon’s dive.

Germany began to dominate - Sami Khedira hit the post - until the half hour when Italy equalised. Ignazio Abate cut in after one-two with Leonardo Bonucci and fired a shot past Manuel Neuer.

Moments later, Germany were almost back in the lead when a dreadful Bonucci clearance was volleyed against the crossbar by Andre Schurrle.

In the second half, substitutions disrupted the rhythm of the teams and the game. The best chance came on the 51st minute, Claudio Marchisio brought a save from Neuer from a tight angle. In the last minute, Marco Reus and Lars Bender ran into each other and missed an open goal, but the victory would have been undeserved.

3’ - PIRLO FREE KICK - Pirlo sends a free kick from 25 yards just over the bar.

8’ - GERMANY GOAL - Hummels’ header bounces against the post and over Buffon’s dive to open the scoring.

28’ - ABATE EQUALISES - Driving in from the right, Abate’s one-two results in a shot driven past Neuer’s dive.

32’ - SCHURRLE HITS THE BAR - Picking up a terrible clearance, the forward volleys a shot over Buffon and against the bar.

51’ - MARCHISIO CHANCE - Marchisio latches onto Pirlo’s clever free kick to fire at Neuer from an acute angle.

90+ 2’ - GERMANY CHANCE - Reus and Lars Bender run into one another when either had the chance to place a rebound against the bar into an open goal.

Italy have not lost to Germany at home since 1986.

Germany scored from a header today, but none of the 36 goals they scored in the 2014 qualifying campaign.

Ignazio Abate scored his 1st goal for Italy.

How will Italy replace Andrea Pirlo? None of the younger generation have his poise, insight or creativity. They will struggle to find someone capable of succeeding him.

Andrea Pirlo (Italy): At times Pirlo played as if it was a totally different game from everyone else, and one he found incredibly easy. He rarely gave away the ball, and gave the players on the wings plenty of opportunity, time and space with his passing.

Italy: Buffon 6, Barzgali 6, Bonucci 6, Abate 6, Criscito 6, Marchisio 6, Motta 6, Pirlo 7, Montolivo 6 , Osvaldo 5, Balotelli 6. Subs: Candreva 6, Ogbonna 6, Cerci 6.

Germany: Neuer 6, Howedes 6, J Boateng 6, Hummels 7, Jansen 6, Khedira 6, Lahm 6, T Muller 6, Kroos 6, Schurrle 6, Gotze 6. Subs: Ozil, Reus, Lars Bender, Sven Bender.