Italy's disappointing World Cup build-up continued on Wednesday evening with a 1-1 draw at home to Luxembourg just 10 days before they kick off in Brazil.
The Italians probably deserved to shade the game, but they were wasteful in the second half as they conceded a late header from a corner by Maxime Chanot to draw.
Claudio Marchision had earlier given Italy a ninth-minute lead, with both Mario Balotelli and Antonio Candreva hitting the bar in the second half.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Good evening all and welcome to our live coverage from Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi as Italy take on Luxembourg in their final World Cup warm-up clash. Italy will be looking to put the disappointing performance against Ireland behind them with a comprehensive win.
In that game they suffered a big blow for the World Cup with the news that Montolivo broke his leg in the first half. He had become a strong part of the Italy midfield alongside Andrea Pirlo and with his replacement Alberto Aquilani suffering a concussion it is fair to say Prandelli will not have learned a lot from that match!
Before I go any further, let's take a look at the two lineups shall we? Special focus will be on Italy tonight, of course, as they are the ones with a World Cup to prepare for very shortly.
ITALY XI: Buffon; Abate, Bonucci, Chiellini, De Sciglio; De Rossi, Pirlo, Verratti; Candreva, Marchisio; Balotelli
I'll get the away lineup for you as soon as we have it in. Even without Montolivo and Aquilani, that is one strong midfield. The immediate concern is, of course, that it lacks width, but that is always the case with Italy. Daniele De Rossi returns to the starting XI which will be a huge relief for Italian fans - he's alongside Pirlo and Marco Verratti, while Antonio Candreva and Claudio Marchisio are the attacking options behind Mario Balotelli.
Ignazio Abate and Mattia De Sciglio - the AC Milan duo - will be asked to do a lot of attacking down their respective flank this evening and will be looking to offer another route going forward away from what will be a packed middle of the park. This midfield is out there to dominate possession and I really cannot see Luxembourg seeing a great deal of the ball tonight.
LUXEMBOURG XI: Moris; Jans, Schnell, Chanot, Janisch; Philipps; Alves da Mota, Gerson, Mutsch, Bensi; Joachim
It's a 4-1-4-1 formation for the visitors, with a designated holding midfielder in Chris Philipps, who really does have a big task tonight if he is to impress. Up front in the lone striking role is Aurelien Joachim. Essentially, the visitors will have done really well if they don't lose tonight.
So just five minutes away now from kickoff, I'll take a quick look at the pre-match odds. The hosts, as you might expect, are massive, massive favourites at 1/14, with an away win around 80/1. It raises the question that has been present for a while - what exactly will Prandelli learn from this match, if they presumably hammer Luxembourg?
PREDICTION: Well, basically pick a number to nil.. Italy were not good at all against ROI in their lat game, so I can't see a cricket score, but I fully expect a 4-0 win for the hosts.
Well the anthems have happened so we're just waiting. This, according to the Italian press, will be Prandelli's starting XI against England - so let's see how they do!
KICKOFF! Here we go then. Luxembourg get us underway and boot it straight out for a throw.
Bright start from the away side, however, as Bensi twists, turns and tries to cross but cannot find a teammate. Bonucci then puts it out for a corner.
Italy finally enjoy a spell of passing, with Marchisio coming deep to link with Pirlo. Chiellini sprays it long down the left to the marauding De Sciglio, but he cannot quite gather and the ball runs out of play for a goal kick.
De Sciglio has spent much of the opening seven minutes camped in the Luxembourg half, and that's better from him as he gets a shot away from the angle. However, it's blocked and cleared. Then there's a long-range effort from Alves da Mota, but Buffon is comfortably behind it to gather.
GOAL! Italy 1-0 Luxembourg (Claudio Marchisio)
Good flowing move from Italy there and the first real chance ends with the first goal. Balotelli is played over the top by De Rossi and controls superbly on the right of the box. He then clips into the box with the outside of his boot for Marchisio to head in - brilliant footwork from the big striker that.
Italy passing confidently, but there has still been just the one chance on goal so far. Luxembourg have a strong shape and are proving tough to break down so far.
CHANCE! They just can't keep track of Balotelli at the moment, the away defence. He peeled off his man to the left side this time, and although it was another great first touch he was closed down by Moris and poked his shot over the bar.
Luxembourg have not touched the ball meaningfully for a good few minutes now and it's just training ground mode for the Italians at the moment. Things will certainly be tougher against England next Saturday, but a big win would be good for camp morale.
A bit better there as Gerson looks to drill in a cross, but it was well cut out by De Rossi. The move is eventually worked to Candreva as Pirlo played it over the top, but it was given offside even though the replay suggested he was level. He only picked out Moris, anyway.
Mutsch goes down in the box and he has stayed down as well. There wasn't a lot in it, but there was perhaps some contact on his shin from the heel of Abate as the two challenged for the ball. He does look in pain, but walks off the field.
Joachim gets his first half-chance there, but trying to cut in on his stronger right foot allowed Chiellini in well to block and Italy escape. Still only the one big chance in this one.
SAVE! Good stop there from Moris, but equally strong football from the Italians. Balotelli was clipped through by Candreva, who skinned a couple of players on the edge of the box, but the striker allowed the away keeper to make the stop by poking with the outside of his boot.
Bit of handbags there between Balotelli and Bensi. The striker completely outdid two Luxembourg players and was brought down by the latter, Bensi. He gets up and acts a bit petulantly towards his opponent, though. The referee is quickly in to defuse the situation.
It's not classic Italy, by any means. The midfield five are, as you might expect, seeing a lot of the ball, but there is not nearly enough in the way of width or chances being created. It's fairly comfortable for the Luxembourg defenders.
The Italian midfielders are operating in pockets against what is a very flat four of Luxembourg. The ball is again spread wide to De Sciglio, but he has been left with a bit too much to do on a number of occasions so far.
CLOSE! Really good passing move from Italy. Pirlo is involved as is Verratti and Candreva. The latter shapes to pass but instead turns to shoot from the edge of the box, but his curled effort goes narrowly wide of the post.
SAVE! Whenever Pirlo steps over a free kick 20-25 yards from goal you fancy him. He clips it to the keeper's right, but it's pushed away well. De Sciglio when swings in a cross but Balotelli can only poke wide at the near post.
HALF-TIME: Italy 1-0 Luxembourg
It was a decent enough half by Italy, and they probably could have had another goal to their name, but despite dominating possession they have not had a whole host of chances as you might expect. Buffon has hardly had a touch, though, so certainly the correct team is winning at the moment.
Prandelli will definitely be looking for more from some of his players in the second half, especially considering that this is supposed to be the team that starts against England. Candreva and Balotelli have been excellent, but De Rossi has been a little disappointing so far for me.
Luxembourg's best player so far has probably been Holter. They have not threatened the Italy defence much at all, but he has been the most likely throughout the 45 minutes to make something happen.
I wonder whether Prandelli will be slightly reluctant to change this lineup. He might instead prefer to give the players valuable minutes together. Their World Cup starts in 10 days' time and there is definitely room for improvement.
The players are coming back out for the second half then. I'll let you know of any changes.
KICKOFF: Italy get us back underway then. There is a change for the visitors, as Gerson makes way for Alves de Mota.
CLOSE! Swift counter there from Italy. Balotelli is given the ball in the midfield and he looks for Verratti to his left. The PSG man drives on and gives it back to the striker, whose shot from the corner of the box is low and goes just past the far post. Decent effort.
It's getting a little niggly in the middle at the moment, and eventually the ref decides to go to his pocket. Pirlo is tugged back by the shorts by Philipps and the Luxembourg man gets shown the yellow.
Italy overwork it a little on the edge of the box, which allows the chance of a counter. Janisch finds De Mota to his right who shoots low, but Buffon gathers it easily.
SUB: Candreva drills a cross-shot wide from the right of the box, it's the last action of the game for Verratti, who comes off for Antonio Cassano. Also a change for Luxembourg, with
BAR! Oh my word! Balotelli simply has to score! It's a brilliant move as the ball is fizzed in to Candreva, who slides in Balotelli. The striker keeps his cool to control around the sliding defender before smashing an effort out of play off the bar. He did the hard part there.
BAR! They've hit the bar again! This time it's crossed from the right and Candreva clips a looping header back into play off the far corner of the bar.
After those two big chances the game has died down somewhat again. Luxembourg look something of a threat on the break, so Italy could definitely do with another one to be more comfortable.
Luxembourg have a deep free kick, which is half cleared by Italy. Bensi tries to get it back in the middle from the left, but the cross is overhit and the danger has gone.
Cassano has really been very good since he has come on. He's committing defenders on the edge of the box and probably should have an assist to his name. He's looking in shape and lively and could be a very good squad player to have at the World Cup.
That is a terrible foul throw! He slipped as he went to throw the ball and succeeded only in looping it up into the air and nowhere in particular. That's about the most exciting thing that's happened in the last 10 minutes.
Luxembourg have had a lot more of the ball in this half than they managed in the first. Another driven shot from range by Joachim, but once more it will take a lot more than that to beat Buffon.
LUXEMBOURG SUB: Deville is on for Holter, who faded in this 45 having been the best away player in the first half.
Really dangerous break down the left there for the away side, but Italy defend the cross and come away with the ball again. That's always the danger of a 1-0 lead - the visitors will really be fancying their chances of getting something now.
Good play there from Italy, as Cassano plays in De Sciglio down the left, but as the defender looked up to cross he had very few options and it ended up being deflected for a corner. Candreva takes the corner down and slashes it high into the stands.
ITALY SUBS: That's Candreva's last action as Lorenzo Insigne comes on for him, while Balotelli also makes way to loud applause with Alessio Cerci on for him. The away side also change, with Bensi off for Marvin Martins.
Another one then for Italy, with Ranocchia on for Bonucci - the new man is not a part of the 23 man squad, unless Barzagli is unfit from an earlier training ground incident. This is a development to watch I think.
At some point Aquilani also came on for Pirlo. The new man almost got on the end of a right-wing cross, but good pressure forced him to miss.
SAVE! Really nice effort there for Cerci, who shows exactly what he's about with a clipped effort from the corner of the box after a run. It was well pushed around the post by Moris, however.
GOAL! Italy 1-1 Luxembourg (Maxime Chanot)
I did say they fancied it! Chanot rises highest to meet a corner and guides it past a rooted Buffon! They perhaps don't deserve it, but Italy have been wasteful.
SAVE! Good stop at the other end as this game comes into life late on. A cross was deflected and the right-back shot low on his weaker foot but it was pushed wide by Moris. Suddenly Italy are urgent.
Italy haven't shown enough that they can go on to win this now. Abate goes into the book for cutting short a break with a professional foul on his opposite number. Another change for Luxembourg late on as Turpel is on for Joachim.
There will be three more minutes to play. Can Italy get the goal to win it?
Half decent effort by Parolo, who puts a shot wide from around 20 yards. It's a corner, but I don't think there was a deflection.
FULL-TIME: Italy 1-1 Luxembourg
Well this will be one of the more interesting results of the night and Luxembourg take what is a really famous draw for them! They have slowly improved over recent years, but this is one of their biggest results. Italy were good in patches and probably deserved to edge it, but they were wasteful and were punished. Much to do then with their World Cup 10 days away.
Thanks for joining me for Italy's final warm-up game. We'll be back in the week with plenty more build-up and of course the World Cup which is now just over a week away. Goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
