Italy travelled to the Czech Republic in World Cup qualifying Group B looking to extend their lead at the top.
In the first half it was Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon who was tested the most, and he had to be at his best to keep out Petr Jiracek who had turned in the box.
The away side continued to struggle to break down their hosts after the break and, despite Buffon again being called into action to keep out Libor Kozak, neither team could get the vital winning goal.
Read how the action unfolded below with our live text commentary.
Hello all and thanks for joining me tonight for this World Cup qualifier between Czech Republic and Italy.
For Italy, tonight is the chance to really put one foot in next summer's World Cup. They currently top the group by three points from Bulgaria, with this their game in hand. A win would move them six clear and very likely to qualify first.
The hosts are in a real battle for automatic qualification. Results have been far from ideal so far, but a win would put them into pole position in the group. Second place will qualify automatically, but they also have Denmark hot on their heels.
Before I go any further, though, you must all be dying for the lineups. Coming right up...
BREAKING TEAM NEWS: Believe it or not, there's no Matej Vydra for the hosts tonight. Presumably that's a last-minute injury - but I'll try to find out why.
CZECH REPUBLIC XI: Cech; Gebre Selassie, Sivok, Kadlec, Limbersky; Darida, Hubschman; Jiracek, Rosicky, Plasil; Kozak
ITALY XI: Buffon; Abate, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Marchisio, Pirlo, De Rossi; Montolivo; El Shaarawy, Balotelli
So it's Libor Kozak who comes in for Vydra. That'll be a huge loss for the Czechs, as the Udinese man netted twice last time out. Kozak, who also plays in Serie A with Lazio, is a different kind of threat altogether, and his goals in the Europa League will make him confident for this European clash.
It's a Milanese look up front for Italy tonight, with Mario Balotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy leading the line. As well as them, Riccardo Montolivo starts in midfield. There was talk of the lineup being less than full-strength with the Confederations Cup looming, but that is not the case. Andrea Barzagli has shaken off a knock to start.
In fact, Milan and Juventus dominate the look of Italy's team tonight. Just Daninele De Rossi of Roma plays his football for another club.
It is a strong, but narrow, midfield for the Italians. Andrea Pirlo will spray the passes from just in front of the defence and ahead of him will be Claudio Marchisio, De Rossi and Montolivo. I suspect it will be something of a diamond four, with Montolivo playing further forward than usual.
This Czech side should not be underestimated, though, even without Vydra. Tomas Rosicky often impresses for his country, more so than Arsenal, and Petr Jiracek is full of running in the middle.
That said, I can't look beyond Italy tonight. El Shaarawy and Balotelli, being teammates, will surely have too much for the Czech defence, which is arguably their weakest area.
Both teams have conceded just four goals in their five matches so far. Italy have scored 12, but the Czechs' struggles to find the net has been their downfall thus far. Too many goalless draws so far, for one, and I think they will struggle to break down a strong Italian defence tonight.
So with less than 15 minutes until kickoff let's take a look at the odds...
Interestingly, it's not clear cut. Italy are, as expected, the favourites, but you can still get better than evens with some bookmakers. Czech Republic are slightly further back at somewhere between 2 and 3/1, with the draw at about 2/1.
PREDICTION: If I was a betting man (of course I'm not..) my money would be on Italy 2-0 tonight. They are stronger in every area and I think it will show through in the end.
The players are out and we're not long away from kickoff here. It'll be very interesting to see how Kozak plays tonight - he didn't have a lot of joy in Serie A against this set of defenders.
KICKOFF: The hosts get us underway here. Let's go!
Nice passing start for Italy and from just inside the Czech half Balotelli's eyes light up. He drives forward and shoots but his effort goes well wide.
The hosts are quick to get men behind the ball when Italy get possession. They are also looking to attack at pace, as Plasil goes for goal from range but misses by a long distance. That's important that the Czechs don't allow Italy to settle behind the ball, or they will not break through.
Giorgio Chiellini, who has been shifted to the left tonight, slices a pass through to Balotelli. He'll be involved a lot down the left with the narrow Italian midfield. Buffon is down low to save from Sivok following a Plasil free kick, but he's been given offside. Nevertheless, that's a great stop.
Balotelli again looks to shoot from range, but this time he draws a challenge from Sivok and wins a free kick. Pirlo takes it but drives it into the wall and out for an Italy throw.
El Shaarawy is crowded out at one end before the Czechs drive forward via Rosicky, but his pass goes through to Buffon. They come again, this time Kozak drops into the left channel before the shot comes in from Rosicky but is straight at Buffon.
CLOSE! Abate almost turns into his own net there! Rosicky, on the right, passes infield and Abate cuts it out with a sliding challenge and it goes a few metres wide of Buffon's left-hand post. From the corner Jiracek tries to work some space but Buffon is out well to gather. He's been busier than Petr Cech so far!
Pirlo oddly goes for goal with a free kick from the right side of the box. It was either that or a severely skewed delivery. Whatever it was Cech gathers easily.
The game has settled down now after quite a frantic start. Italy are seeing a lot of the ball in little pockets in the Czech half, but there are a lot of white shirts to isolate the men in blue.
They've been surprisingly lax at the back at the moment, Italy, as Bonucci gives away a soft corner. From it, Rosicky is found in the corner of the box but shoots wide - no-one was closing him down there.
CZECH SUB: That's more like what we've come to expect from El Shaarawy. He gets in behind on the left hand side but his ball towards Balotelli is just behind him. Limbersky makes way for Marek Suchy for the hosts. Presumably that's an injury.
It's still the Czechs who look most likely to score. No further real chances in the last few minutes, but they have threatened on the break on a number of occasions, while Italy struggle to break them down.
Jiracek shoots from range, but it's comfortably off target. However, that's where most of the space has been, just outside the Italy box. Kozak goes down after a tangle with Abate, but nothing given.
Italy still passing and probing. Czech Republic still happy to sit and watch them. Pirlo looks to thread Balotelli in, but Czech gathers the ball following a slice from Suchy.
Italy just starting to get a little deeper in the Czech half in the last few minutes, but Balotelli slips as he drives toward the box. They win a corner in the end, off Kadlec.
Selassie beats De Rossi in the first real battle between the two. De Rossi has rarely been involved in the opening half an hour. Nor has Montolivo, whose cross from the left with his right foot drifts harmlessly out of play behind the goal.
De Rossi is close to getting in behind and looks for Montolivo with his touch, but it's hacked clear. It's a sustained spell of Italian possession, but they've done very little with it so far.
The crowd are doing their best to liven this up with their horns, but it'll take more than that. So far the Czechs have played their game plan to perfection so far - they just need a goal to cap it off.
Kozak finds himself on the right this time, but has no options for the cross. Eventually Italy clear through Chiellini, who did well to crowd out the Lazio man.
Kadlec cuts in and shoots with his weaker right foot, but pulls his effort well wide. At the other end, Italy's build-up is still sluggish and Pirlo is dropping ever-deeper.
Pirlo is even off-target with his corners at the moment. Italy try to recover with a ball in towards Chiellini, but he was never likely to threaten from there and glances a header wide.
Czech Republic attack for the first time in a while, but Plasil's scooped pass towards Kozak is easily cut out by Bonucci.
CHANCE! Balotelli found some space in the box and Montolivo makes the perfect run, but instead the striker cuts back into trouble and the danger has gone. Selfish!
HALF-TIME: Czech Republic 0-0 Italy
So the first half ends and in truth it's somewhat underwhelming. The Czechs have had several shots, but the vast majority have been from range. While, at the other end, Italy have really struggled to create anything.
Buffon has certainly been the busier goalkeeper. Cech has had little to do except claim a few crosses, but Buffon had to be at his best to save from Jiracek, quickly closing the angle as the midfielder turned in the box.
Of course Italy, being so on top of the group, are not as desperate for the win as their hosts, so you would expect that they are happier with this as it stands. With Italy not yet on form, the Czechs could well see this as an opportunity for the three points.
ITALY SUB: The players are coming back out and there's a change for Azzurri. Sebastian Giovinco is coming on for Montolivo.
KICKOFF: Italy get us back underway. By the way, it was El Shaarawy who came off, not Montolivo. I know that because he's still on the pitch!
The hosts win an early corner off Abate, who did well to recover from a slip and from it Buffon punches clear nicely.
Balotelli is down after a tackle from Suchy. It looks as though he landed a bit awkwardly - but he's back up and should be ok. Italy are back on the ball, will they have more penetration this half?
Giovinco's first action is brilliant. He chests down a headed away corner, before playing a neat one-two with Balotelli, but the move eventually breaks down following a wayward pass by Montolivo.
The ball is in the Italy net, but the whistle had already gone for offside. It was a nice move, though, with Sivok heading back across goal before it was headed in. Italy had stopped playing, however.
Neither goalkeeper has had a save to make so far. It's looking increasingly like a 0-0 or a smash-and-grab from either side. Up to this point neither side deserves to be ahead, and it's about the right score. There's not even much bite to it.
Darida gets a small pocket of space on the left side of the box, but his cross is too far for everyone and goes out of play. Italy come forward again through Giovinco, but his pass to Marchisio is behind him and the chance has gone.
SAVE! Big chance for Kozak! Italy's defence parts and it's just a long ball towards the Lazio striker. However, Buffon is out quickly to save with his legs.
The attack continued and Jiracek got the chance to cross on the left of the box, but he cannot pick out a teammate.
At the other end Abate plays a one-two with Giovinco, but a really heavy first touch sees him take it out of play. Kozak then goes down chasing after a long pass, but there's not enough contact for the referee to give a free kick.
BOOKING: Darida gets himself in the book after a handball. A little bit harsh to book him for that, perhaps.
SAVE! Buffon is again tested and it's Kozak once more. The striker just doesn't have the clinical touch, though, as this time his shot from just outside the box is just too close to the Italian skipper and it's pushed away. Then Balotelli gets yellow-carded for catching Kadlec late.
Nice move down the right involving Selassie and Rosicky, but Chiellini is in well to win the ball.
RED CARD! Balotelli is off! He picks up his second yellow card for jumping too aggressively for the ball. The booking a moment ago was the stupid one - now he has two and is off.
Before the red card, the game was being largely played just inside the Czech half, but now the hosts have a real chance to go on and claim the win. Certainly the crowd are lively and they're coming forward more now.
CZECH SUB: Vaclav Kadlec is on for Darida for the hosts, as Buffon is fouled at a corner and Italy get the ball back.
ITALY SUB: Alberto Aquilani is on now, in place of Pirlo. I'm not convinced that he's the player to unlock the hosts in less than 15 minutes.
There's quite a lot of aimless balls being pumped forward from both sides now. Italy's latest turns into a corner, which Giovinco delivers straight into the arms of Cech with ribbons on.
I would be staggered if there was a goal in this one now. It's honestly that bad. Italy are still seeing most of the ball, even with 10 men, but at least Czech Republic are looking to harass them in possession now.
Barzagli gives away a sloppy free kick just to the right of the box. It's a great position for a whipped ball in...
CHANCE! That should be 1-0! Plasil's ball in is superb, with Jiracek arriving at the far post to tuck it away, but puts it wide via the post instead. A let-off for Italy.
CZECH SUB: Daniel Kolar comes on for Jiracek, who is clearly unable to carry on after seemingly picking up a knock in that last chance.
Most of the play is now in the Italy defensive third, but it still looks very unlikely that there will be a goal. The hosts are passing neatly, but it's Italy's turn to defend in numbers.
Italy have a free kick in the Czech half but Czech Republic break, however Kozak is caught just offside.
BOOKING: Montolivo goes into the book late on for a foul, as we are notified that three minutes will be added on. Selassie goes down in the box but nothing is given. The shot is then driven in by Kolar but it goes wide.
FULL-TIME: Czech Republic 0-0 Italy
Well, that result looked on the cards throughout and really 0-0 is fair in a game of little quality. Czech Republic remain third and now are level on six games played with Bulgaria.
Thanks for joining me tonight and be sure to stick around for results and reaction from around Europe. Goodbye!
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
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