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World Cup qualifying: Scots revive hopes after deserved draw with Italy [Mon Sep 5th, 2005]
Glasgow (AFP) - Scotland revived their slender hopes of making it to the World Cup Finals in Germany next summer with an impressive performance against Italy which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Wolves striker Kenny Miller put the home side ahead early in the first half, only for Palermo substitute Fabio Grosso to equalise with 15 minutes remaining to ensure a share of the points.
At the end of the match, both managers admitted they were satisfied with the result, though Scotland's Walter Smith was upset having seen the chance to boost their flagging qualifying campaign, and a major upset go begging.
He said: "We were under a lot of pressure from Italy and they showed they are the best side in the section, so a draw is not too bad.
"I could not have asked for more from my players in terms of commitment and determination, and we got off to a decent start with a terrific goal.
"But I'm slightly disappointed in the manner we lost the goal. If it had been from open play I would have held my hands up, but it was annoying to lose it from a set piece."
Smith's Italian counterpart, Marcello Lippi, was also happy with the point away from home and, while he admitted he was impressed with Scotland, he singled out one player for special praise.
"I'm very happy with the result but not very happy with the performance. We tried to attack and to press the Scottish team but we couldn't get the goals," said Lippi.
"You have to give Scotland credit though and they played really well, especially their forward Miller who really surprised us. He caused us a lot of trouble."
Miller was a constant thorn in the visitors' side, and was lively on the left wing as well as in front of the Italian goal however on the night his class alone was never going to upstage an experienced side which, despite a lack of incision, still looked dangerous whenever on the attack.
Italy started brightly and could have scored as early as the second minute when they were awarded a free kick on the right, following a foul on Gennaro Gattuso by Nigel Quashie.
Francesco Totti took the kick and swung the ball towards the back post where Cristian Zaccardo was lurking, but his shot was palmed away by Scotland keeper Craig Gordon.
But against the run of play the Scots shocked the visitors with a well-worked goal in the 13th minute. Darren Fletcher played the ball out to the right for Paul Hartley and the Hearts midfielder swung a curling cross in for Miller whose powerful header beat Angelo Peruzzi at his bottom right-hand corner.
The goal spurred the visitors on but although they enjoying the vast majority of possession they were finding Scotland's back four, ably protected by Christian Dailly operating just in front of them, in a determined mood and they were struggling to create many clear cut chances.
In the second-half Italy maintained their pressure and Totti came close with a low drive from 25-yards in the 51st minute which drifted just wide of the post.
A mistake by Graham Alexander in the 63rd minute should then have led to the equaliser. The Preston North End defender stumbled on the ball, allowing Totti to advance in on goal before squaring for Christian Vieri, but somehow the AC Milan player blasted well over from only a few yards out.
But in the 75th minute Italy scored the goal their play deserved. Mauro Camoranesi's corner skimmed off the head of Fletcher forcing Gordon into a spectacular one-handed save.
Unfortunately for Scotland the ball dropped to Grosso, who had replaced Zaccardo at the break, and he rifled the ball into the net.
Italy were now looking for a winner and Pirlo almost grabbed it in the 83rd minute with a curling free kick from 20 yards which went inches wide of the right-hand post with Gordon at full stretch.
At the other end Scotland captain Barry Ferguson found space in the 87th minute to blast a shot wide from 35 yards, but as the clock ticked down the home side were happy to see out the rest of the match and claim the point to keep their faint hopes of a playoff place alive.
Scotland now travel to Norway on Wednesday, the same night Italy travel to play Belarus.
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