Article
Solid Italy scrape point against Bulgaria
SOFIA (AFP) - Defending champions Italy put their injury concerns to one side to carve out a 0-0 draw against Bulgaria to stay on course for the 2010 World Cup finals on Saturday.
The point gave Marcello Lippi's team seven points from their three games in Group Eight following a 2-1 win in Cyprus and a 2-0 victory against Georgia and put them in good heart ahead of their home clash with Montenegro in Lecce on Wednesday.
"It was a good match. The boys played with authority and they tried to win it," said Lippi of a match where chances were few and far between.
"But it was a positive result."
Bulgaria coach Plamen Markov said he was happy with a point.
"We played against the world champions and I see no reason not to be happy with the draw," he said.
"I am happy with the enthusiasm that all players put into the game."
Skipper Dimitar Berbatov admitted it had been a tight game.
"The game was even during most of the match and there weren't many openings," said the Manchester United striker.
"It was more a game of fighting and trickery. But I am happy with the one point as this is Italy after all."
Missing first choice players like goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who has been ruled out for a month with a back problem, and Juventus teammate, midfielder Mauro Camoranesi, who has a thigh injury, Lippi was forced to reshuffle.
Marco Amelia started in goal while Andrea Dossena, Ricardo Montolivo and Simone Pepe were all handed rare starts.
There were few scoring chances in a dour match.
Bulgaria, who had one point from their one game so far, pressed in the opening period but veteran Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro organised the back line well.
In fact, Amelia didn't have a save to make until the 88th minute of the match.
Italy showed a little more attacking initiative after the break with a 66th-minute freekick by Udinese's Antonio Di Natale saved by the Bulgarian keeper.
Two fierce drives by Roma's Daniele de Rossi in the last 10 minutes were both off target.
Info
Lineups
| Player | Bookings |
|---|---|
| D. Ivankov | |
| Z. Milanov | |
L. Wagner
|
|
| V. Iliev | |
| A. Tunchev | |
| S. Petrov | |
| C. Yankov | |
|
M. Petrov
|
|
| B. Georgiev | |
| V. Dimitrov | |
| D. Berbatov |
Substitutions
| Player | Bookings |
|---|---|
|
for L. Wagner 35' |
|
|
for M. Petrov 90' |
| Player | Bookings |
|---|---|
| M. Amelia | |
| F. Cannavaro | |
| G. Zambrotta | |
| A. Dossena | |
| G. Chiellini |
 34'
|
| D. De Rossi |
86'
|
| G. Gattuso | |
|
R. Montolivo
|
|
|
A. Gilardino
|
|
|
A. Di Natale
|
|
| S. Pepe |
Substitutions
| Player | Bookings |
|---|---|
|
for A. Di Natale 68' |
|
|
for R. Montolivo 68' |
|
|
for A. Gilardino 73' |
90'
|
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