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World Cup qualifier

Italy 1 - Spain 1

Spain came out of their big game against Italy unscathed, a 1-1 draw in Turin giving them a slight edge against their fiercest rivals. Looking for revenge after being knocked out of the recent European championships by their hosts, Julen Lopetegui’s side totally dominated the first half, Iniesta and Piqué testing Buffon, and Diego Costa getting free on goal only for referee Felix Brych to pull him up for a non-existent offside. Some ten minutes after the restart Vitolo put the visitors in front after Buffon completely missed a clearance from Busquet’s through ball, and the soon afterwards Sevilla winger should have added a second when he shot wide with only the keeper to beat. Italy though started to get back in the game, Immobile and Romagnoli going close, and with eight minutes to go the referee awarded a penalty to the locals at the behest of his goal-line official for a foul by Sergio Ramos on Eder. De Rossi fired home the spot kick, and Belotti could even have won it for the locals when he bundled the ball in the net only for the strike to be ruled out for offside. A result though which Spain would have signed off on at the start, and their next match is on Sunday against Albania, who now top the group having won their opening two ties. (06.10.16)