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In a dire friendly match between traditional rivals England and Italy, Tottenham Hotspurs’ winger Andros Townsend hit a stunning late goal to ensure the Three Lions avoided defeat in Turin. Graziano Pelle, who had gone 13 Premier League games without finding the back of the net, had put the Italians in the lead early in the game.
England manager Roy Hodgson started with a midfield diamond and named Manchester United’s Phil Jones in an unfamiliar defensive midfield position while Harry Kane partnered Wayne Rooney up-front. Nathaniel Clyne made his third appearance in an England jersey at the back with Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs manning the left full back position and Phil Jagielka partnering Chris Smalling in the center.
New Italy manager Antonio Conte named an experimental line-up with Pelle leading the line and Alessandro Florenzi, Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon the only regulars. Big names like Marco Verratti, Ignazio Abate and Ciro Immobile were left on the bench.
The Southampton target man repaid the faith shown in him by Conte by putting his side in the lead early in the first half. After Chiellini got free from Jones on the left flank, he sent in a cross with his wrong foot. Pelle, standing at the near post, flicked the ball with his head beyond the despairing Joe Hart in the 29th minute.
England, then, suffered another blow when defender Chris Smalling suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Michael Carrick at the stroke of half-time. This allowed Jones to go back into defence and Carrick marshalling ahead of the back four.
The second period brought a welcome change for the visitors as they went forward in search of the elusive equalizer. Italy, on the other hand, were happy to sit back in their own half and try to hit the 1966 World Cup winners on the counter attack.
By the 74th minute, Hodgson’s side had 4 Spurs players in the playing XI as Kyle Walker, Ryan Mason and Townsend joined Harry Kane, who had started the match, at different intervals. And the co-ordination between the players suddenly improved as two of the substitutes combined for the equalizer.
Midfielder Mason gave the ball to Townsend, who took a couple of touches before unleashing a fierce shot with his right foot from the edge of the area, which was well beyond the diving Buffon and sailed into the goal. This was the winger’s second goal from open play this season for England, 1 more than he has scored for his club in the same period.
The match petered out to a close in the latter stages as both sides were unable to find the winner, but despite playing in Turin, Italy must be considering themselves a tad fortunate to emerge with a draw as England’s approach saw them come out of the match with 59% possession apart from having 5 shots on target to Italy’s 3.
Townsend, after the match, fired shots at former England international Paul Merson, who had claimed that the 23-year-old should not have been selected for England in this international break.
Italy 1-0 England: Graziano Pelle (29’)
Italy 1-1 England: Andros Townsend (79’)
