• Match report: Italy 1-1 England
• Talking points from Turin
In hindsight, the writing had been on the wall from this game’s opening exchange. Only 16 seconds had elapsed when Jordan Henderson collected in midfield, spied Harry Kane apparently free of Giorgio Chiellini’s shackles and pinged a pass into the striker’s path. The Tottenham Hotspur forward had a yard of space in which to gather and weigh up his options but, instantly, Chiellini was on him. Illegally, as it happens, but the tone had still been set. A bodycheck to start, a reality check to follow.
Scoring within two minutes of his debut against a beaten and tiring Lithuania is one thing but this was Italy. Admittedly a much changed Azzurri from their own competitive fixture in Bulgaria last Saturday, from which they had made eight alterations, but a starting lineup offering steel and needle. A side who retain some of the streetwise qualities the other teams traipsing in behind the English in Group E of Euro 2016 qualifying clearly lack. Chiellini was winning his 76th cap and had been primed to leave an early impression on the upstart from White Hart Lane. Kane juddered and fell upon impact. By the time he had picked himself up he had a clearer idea what awaited in Turin.
Related: Italy 1-1 England | Friendly international match report
Related: England v Italy: friendly international – in pictures
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source Sport | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1IkjnIq
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