SEE NAPLES AND SIGH

ITALY 1

LITHUANIA 1

WORLD champions Italy were brought crashing back down to earth last night as little Lithuania caused a huge upset.

The Azzurri looked a shadow of the side that lifted the World Cup in Germany two months ago as they struggled to break down the Baltic minnows.

Filippo Inzaghi's first-half tap-in cancelled out Tomas Danilevicius' shock opener but Roberto Donadoni's men failed to produce the onslaught everyone expected.

Despite a late push which saw Lithuania keeper Zydrunas Karcemarskas pull off two stunning saves Italy didn't look like odds-on favourites to win Group B.

The result should give Scotland hope against the Italians but will also provide a clear warning that Algimantas Liubinskas' side are no pushovers.

They'll provide a stiff test for Walter Smith's men on Wednesday night.

The wall of noise that greeted Italy for their WARM-UP in Naples was deafening.

Special adulation was reserved for Azzurri skipper and local boy Fabio Cannavaro.

Before the match Neapolitan kids paraded the World Cup trophy to 70,000 fanatics.

But the Italy team had a different look to it under new gaffer Donadoni.

He left out Luca Toni, Mauro Camoranesi and Alessandro Del Piero while Francesco Totti and Alessandro Nesta were injured and Marco Matterazi suspended after his part in Zinedine Zidane's infamous head-butt.

There was further Scottish interest in the shape of three Lithuanian Hearts stars.

Deividas Cesnauskis and Saulius Mikoliunas both started in midfield while new boy Marius Zaliukas was on the bench.

The Jambos duo almost combined to give Lithuania a shock early lead.

Mikoliunas danced his way past Massimo Oddo and his drilled cross found its way to Cesnauskis at the back post.

The midfielder should have tested the keeper but sliced his shot wide.

It was a terrific start from the visitors and they went even closer after nine minutes.

Marius Stankevicius' cross was met on the run by captain Danilevicius but his glancing header flew inches.

Italy's only response was wild efforts from Inzaghi then Fabio Grosso and Gigi Buffon had to be alert to rescue them in 18 minutes.

Stankevicius got forward again and his centre was met by Mantas Savenas whose bullet header was clawed past.

A Lithuanian goal was on the cards and it came moments later when Cesnauskis' cut-back was stroked home by Danilevicius.

His strike prompted an immediate reaction from Donadoni's men.

Real Madrid hitman Antonio Cassano's exquisite touch made him space but his shot fizzed well wide.

Italy played second fiddle for the first half-hour but bedlam suddenly broke out as Inzaghi grabbed the equaliser.

Rino Gattuso picked out Cassano and he fed the Milan striker who couldn't miss from four yards.

Italy upped the tempo and Cassano then forced Zydrunas Karcemarskas into a superb save with a low shot.

But the Lithuanians sensed a famous victory and bombed forward at every opportunity after the break. It was end-to-end stuff and Inzaghi was on the prowl again in 59 minutes.

He wriggled past former Dunfermline defender Andrius Skerla and his stab at goal was brilliantly stopped by the toe of Karcemarskas.

The Dinamo Moscow keeper was in sublime form and denied Cassano with another reflex save in 62 minutes.

At the other end Poskus and Cesnauskis both tested Buffon with fierce strikes.

With 15 minutes to go Inzaghi missed Italy's golden chance to seal three points.

Cassano's cross was perfect for the Milan star who somehow scooped over from six yards when it was easier to score.

Donadoni's men heaped on the pressure late on and Lithuania had sub Tomas Tamosauaskas to thank for their point when he cleared Grosso's point-blank header off the line.

Taken from the Sunday Mail