Graziano Pelle hasn’t scored for Southampton in 10 games, but the 29-year-old left his goal drought in England. Back on Italian soil he scored his second goal in three caps for the Azzurri, only for the visitors to snatch a 1-1 draw late on through Andros Townsend at the Juventus Stadium on Tuesday night in an international friendly.
Antonio Conte’s experimental team had the better of the first half as they moved the ball well and found space with lively movement against a stagnant Three Lions outfit.
Marco Parolo tried his luck with a dipping shot from distances in the 10th minute, almost catching out Joe Hart who had to acrobatically tip the ball over the bar.
A piece of excellent defending was required to prevent Eder from putting Italy ahead after Matteo Darmian surged down the left wing and into the penalty area before putting the ball across the face of the goal when Phil Jagielka got to the ball first and just cleared it over his own bar.
England’s best moment of the first half came when captain Wayne Rooney saw his half volley from the edge of the area fizz into the ground and rebound off the crossbar after Harry Kane caused havoc with a header back across the goal from Fabian Delph’s high cross.
A familiar face to the English players and fans made the difference just short of the half hour mark. Giorgio Chiellini found himself on the left wing following a half-cleared free kick and beat Phil Jones before whipping the ball towards Pelle at the near post who glanced it across Hart and into the bottom right corner.
Darmian continued to cause problems for the English after the break. A good run from the Torino wingback supplied Eder whose shot was saved but fell to Pelle on the rebound. His hurried follow up looped just wide of the left hand post.
The Three Lions found their way into the game in the second half. Good play between Kane and Rooney opened up some space in the area for Kieran Gibbs to have a go from a tight angle inside the area, but his finish was found wanting as it nestled in the side netting.
Franco Vazquez and Ciro Immobile nearly combined within a minute of coming on as substitutes in the 60th minute after Vazquez chested the ball down in the area to the Borussia Dortmund striker, only for Jagielka to once again get a boot in to clear at the last second.
The inexperienced Azzurri lineup opted to sit back in the latter stages, and were made to pay for it.
Chiellini was caught out in the 70th minute by a ball over the top from Gibbs and allowed Rooney in to have venomous volley at goal which Buffon was equal to, parrying it away.
Roy Hodgson’s team smelt blood, and substitute Townsend popped up with a fantastic equaliser 11 minutes from time. The Tottenham Hotspur winger picked up the ball outside the area and shifted past Moretti before letting fly with a thunderous drive which powered into the left corner beyond the reach of an outstretched Buffon.
Italy would have one chance to reply, and almost restored their lead in the 85th minute as Luca Antonelli and Immobile exchanged passes on the left leading to a one-on-one for Antonelli, but his left foot shot dragged just wide as the game fizzled out and ended 1-1.
