Graziano Pelle's header has given Italy a 1-0 lead at half time against England in an international friendly in Turin this evening.

Lazio's Marco Parolo was the first to try his luck and Joe Hart was forced to tip over the dipping long-range effort on 10 minutes.

England had Phil Jagielka to thank for keeping the scores level on 17 minutes when the Everton defender cleared Matteo Darmian's cross inside the six-yard box with Pelle lurking.

Wayne Rooney almost broke the deadlock on 20 minutes but the Manchester United captain's downwards volley could only bounce up onto the crossbar.

Rooney's cross-field pass then freed Theo Walcott inside the area but the Arsenal forward's shot was well blocked by Andrea Ranocchia, and failed to trouble Gianluigi Buffon in the Italy goal.

Pelle broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark when he glanced home Giorgio Chiellini's cross into Hart's far corner.

A swift counter-attack involving Eder and Roberto Florenzi saw a cross fizzed into Pelle, but the Southampton man just missed out on connecting.