Uruguay have matched their worst-ever run of form after falling to a fifth successive loss, going down 3-0 to Italy in an international friendly clash at the Allianz Riviera.
There was not a great deal between the sides in Nice until the final 10 minutes, when the Azzurri netted twice to add some gloss to the scoreline and make this their opponents' worst streak since 1976.
Italy boss Gian Piero Ventura, now unbeaten in his last nine matches in charge, was given a chance to experiment a little with his squad and will feel that his men were deserving of their comfortable victory in the end.
Uruguay, without star strikers Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez tonight due to injury, started well and created a shooting chance early on for Maxi Pereira to test Gianluigi Donnarumma on his second international start.
That did not offer a fair reflection of what was to follow in the first half, though, as Italy largely dominated things and had a lead with just seven minutes on the clock.
A ball over the top was brought down well by in-form forward Andre Belotti, but before he could get a shot away Jose Gimenez did the hard work for him, unintentionally booting the ball over his goalkeeper to open the scoring in a bizarre manner.
The Azzurri managed to build on that and came close to a second through Lorenzo Insigne, who saw his curler pushed aside by Fernando Muslera.
Italy were boosted by the return of their Juventus contingent tonight but saw one of them, Claudio Marchisio, limp off with a quarter of the game played due to a minor groin injury.
Insigne volleyed wide at the end of a sweeping move as the first half progressed, though the best chance of the lot fell to Immobile, who took too much time when latching on to Antonio Candreva's cut-back and saw his close-range attempt blocked by Matias Vecino.
Both sides struggled to find any sort of rhythm in a flat second half, with the first effort of any note not arriving until the hour mark in the south of France.
Martin Caceres outjumped every other player in the area and guided his header past Donnarumma, only for the referee to spot a shove on Riccardo Montolivo in the build-up.
Italy's players were left unhappy when Nahitan Nandez caught Andrea Barzagli with a late challenge, earning him a caution - the same punishment dished out to Marchisio early in the game for a similarly misjudged tackle.
A number of second-half subs did not help with the flow of things, but one of those to come on nearly settled the match as Eder nodded into the ground and wide from six yards out.
Stephan El Shaarawy also provided some much-needed attacking impetus, cutting inside and testing Muslera with a fine effort 14 minutes from time, and the second duly arrived late into the contest.
A minute after being brought on, Manolo Gabbiadini rounded the keeper and saw his off-target attempt strike Eder and cross the line - the goal being allowed to stand, despite Uruguay's calls for offside, after a video replay was used.
There was worse to come for an out-of-form Uruguay side as, with two minutes of stoppage time left to play, Gimenez's night went from bad to worse as he conceded a penalty, from which Daniele de Rossi tucked away.
Daniel Lewis
