Euro 2012 - Spain 1-1 Italy

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by Crunch Sports Staff

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Antonio Di Natale of Italy celebrates scoring their first goal during the UEFA EURO 2012 group C match between Spain and Italy at The Municipal Stadium on June 10, 2012 in Gdansk, Poland (credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Reigning champions Spain were held to a 1-1 draw by Italy in an evenly contested Group C game at Euro 2012 on Sunday.

Both sides saw plenty of the ball early on, although neither were able to create any real chances.

Spain opted to start with Cesc Fabregas as an attacker, with no real strikers named in their starting line-up, while Italy started with a 3-5-2 formation which was widely expected, and looked extremely comfortable in the opening 20 minutes.

Andrea Pirlo went close with a free-kick as Cesare Prandelli's side continued to look like a threat when going forward.

Andres Iniesta and David Silva had chances for Spain as the game passed the half-hour mark, but it was Italy who looked more likely to take the lead, with Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli looking lively up front.

And it was Italy who should have opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time when Emanuele Giaccherini's cross found Thiago Motta, who should have found the back of the net but aimed his header directly at goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Spain made a much better start to the second half, with Fabregas and Iniesta having chances.

But again it was Italy who should have gone ahead when Balotelli beat Sergio Ramos on the touchline and found himself through on goal, but took far too long to line up a shot and allowed the Real Madrid full-back to get back and tackle him six yards out.

Prandelli couldn't believe what he had seen, and that was the Manchester City striker's final contribution to the game.

Prandelli brought on Antonio Di Natale for Balotelli, and the substitution proved to be the right one, as just five minutes later he was played in by Pirlo and curled the ball past Casillas to finally open the scoring on the hour.

Spain hit back almost immediately when Iniesta's shot was saved by Gianluigi Buffon, but the Spaniards attacked again and Buffon was unable to prevent Fabregas from finding the back of the net after a superb ball from Silva on 64 minutes.

Spain brought on Fernando Torres for Fabregas for the final 20 minutes and the Chelsea striker could have made an immediate impact when he was put through on goal with his first touch of the game, only to fail to take the ball around Buffon.

As the game entered the final ten minutes, Torres again failed to make the most of a good opportunity as he found himself in plenty of space on the right side of the Italy penalty box, only to hesitate and see his pass intercepted.

Both sides tried to push forward and grab a late winner, but neither could produce something special in the closing moments of the game as the final whistle sounded.

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