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Buffon equals European record, Spain snatch draw with England

 

MILAN: World champions Germany and Italy played out an entertaining 0-0 draw in their friendly international on Tuesday with both sides missing a string of chances in their final match of the year.

The Germans, who beat Italy twice this year including in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals following a penalty shootout, were without half a dozen key players – with Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil and Jerome Boateng all missing.

In a game which marked Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon earning his 167th cap – equalling the European record – the hosts dominated the encounter but Germany also had their share of chances.

Italy's biggest chance came eight minutes from the end with Andrea Belotti hitting the post with a low shot.

"It was a demanding game, tactically speaking," said Germany coach Joachim Loew. "We managed to draw a lot of conclusions regarding the young players. We did it well for long stretches of the game."

"We have now played six games in a row without conceding a goal so that is also a very positive thing."

Italy, unbeaten at the San Siro, got off to a better start and came close with a lightning quick break but Eder failed to properly connect with a Belotti cutback in the box, leaving Bernd Leno to pick up the loose ball.

The Germans responded with a counter attack of their own and Ilkay Guendogan sent Leon Goretzka through but veteran keeper Buffon, who equalled the European record of Spain's Iker Casillas, reacted quickly to slide in and save.

The hosts, however, kept up the pressure and forward Ciro Immobile thought he had scored when he beat the offside trap to fire past Leno only for his shot to sail narrowly wide.

"The result is acceptable seeing as we played well and gave little to the world champions," Giampiero Ventura, Italy's coach, told reporters.

"We played with different systems and I have to congratulate my players for their overall performance."

Germany put the ball in the net on the hour but Kevin Volland was ruled offside.

Substitute Federico Bernardeschi almost scored with his first touch but his low drive after yet another textbook break by the Italians was saved by Leno, before Belotti hit the woodwork with his right-footed effort a little later.

Meanwhile in London, Isco scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time as Spain launched an improbable fightback to snatch a 2-2 friendly draw against England with both their goals coming after the 89th minute at Wembley.

England looked like ending a dismal year with a glimmer of hope as a first-half penalty from Adam Lallana and Jamie Vardy's header after the break gave them a thoroughly deserved two-goal lead.

Yet the comeback began with the home fans already heading for the exits as Iago Aspas cut into the area and thumped the ball into the top corner beginning a nervy retreat from England deep into their own territory.

Isco then stunned the Wembley crowd by hitting the ball through substitute keeper Tom Heaton's legs from a tight angle to deprive England boss Gareth Southgate of a major scalp to end his four-game spell in interim charge.

RESULTS

At Grozny

Russia 1 (Ozdoev 90+3) Romania 0

At Ta'Qali

Malta 0 Iceland 2 (Traustason 47, Ingason 76)

At Budapest

Hungary 0 Sweden 2 (Sam Larsson 30, Kiese Thelin 67)

At Kharkiv

Ukraine 2 (Shakhov 38, Yarmolenko 87) Serbia 0

At Mlada Boleslav

Czech Republic 1 (Barak 8) Denmark 1 (Jorgensen 38)

At Vienna

Austria 0 Slovakia 0

At Milan

Italy 0 Germany 0

At Belfast

Northern Ireland 0 Croatia 3 (Mandzukic 9, Cop 35, Kramaric 67)

At London

England 2 (Lallana 9-pen, Vardy 48) Spain 2 (Aspas 89, Isco 90+6)

At Lens

France 0 Ivory Coast 0

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