No welcome home party for Azzurri

WORLD champions Italy made a stuttering start to their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign when they drew 1-1 with Lithuania last night.

Sixty-thousand fans packed out Naples' San Paolo stadium to welcome back the Azzurri for their first competitive match since beating France in the World Cup final on July 9.
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Lithuania, however, spoiled their party, taking advantage of a slow start by the hosts to go ahead in the 21st minute through striker Tomas Danilevicius. Filippo Inzaghi levelled the scores nine minutes later, poking in Antonio Cassano's low cross.

But despite creating a string of chances in the second half, Italy were forced to settle for a draw - hardly ideal preparation for their next Group B qualifier, which is a re-run of the World Cup final against France in Paris next Wednesday.

Meanwhile, France began the post-Zidane era in more impressive fashion by crushing Georgia 3-0 in Tblisi, a result that also ensured Scotland went top of Group B on goal difference.

The French struck twice in the first 15 minutes to silence a capacity 55,000-strong home crowd.

Florent Malouda opened the scoring seven minutes into the game when he surprised Georgia keeper Grigol Chanturia with a 20-metre drive and Louis Saha doubled the lead with another low blast after a neat feed from Thierry Henry eight minutes later.

The visitors made it 3-0 less than a minute after the break to put the encounter beyond doubt. Henry was credited with the goal, inadvertently directed into his own net by Georgia fullback Malkhaz Asatiani.

Taken from the Scotsman