GIORGIO HEADER SEALS IT.ITALY 1 SWEDEN O GIORGIO CHIELLINI'S first-half header earned Italy a narrow victory over Sweden in the Azzurri's last friendly match of the year in Cesena tonight. The Juventus defender headed the ball from a corner past a helpless Andreas Isaksson Andreas Isaksson was born on October 3, 1981 in Trelleborg and is a Swedish football player (goalkeeper) and national team player for Sweden. He currently plays for Manchester City in England and for the Swedish national team, for whom he currently has 42 caps. after 28 minutes and it proved to be the only goal of the contest. As expected, Italy coach Marcello Lippi Marcello Lippi, Commendatore OMRI[1], (born April 11, 1948) is an Italian World Cup-winning football coach and former player. Born in Viareggio, in northern Tuscany, he served as [Italy national football team|Italian national team]] head coach from July 16, 2004 fielded an experimental side with no members of the triumphant 2006 World Cup side in his starting XI. Marco Marchionni, Giampaolo Pazzini and Antonio Di Natale Antonio Di Natale (born 13 October 1977, in Naples) is an Italian football striker currently playing for Udinese. He likes to play just behind the main striker and is renowned for his pace, technique, passing and intelligence. formed the Azzurri's attacking line. The game offered Lippi a chance to evaluate several candidates to complete his World Cup squad. For Sweden, it was the first of newly-installed head coach Erik Hamren, who had to do without team's best-known player Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Barcelona. The Azzurri missed a golden chance to take the lead in the 20th minute. Di Natale latched onto Cristian Maggio's cross from the right and volleyed from 30 yards to force Isaksson to fully stretch in order to clear. The hosts broke the deadlock soon after. Chiellini got behind Cristian Maggio's cornerkick and his header beat Isaksson. CAPTION(S): CELEBRATION Chiellini |
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