Scots upset Croatia as 10-man Italy held
Source: AFP |
June 9, 2013, Sunday
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SCOTLAND caused the upset of the latest round of World Cup qualifiers in Europe with a 1-0 victory at Croatia on Friday.
But it was still errant Italy forward Mario Balotelli who stole the headlines as he was sent off in his team's 0-0 draw at Czech Republic.
There was little to get excited about in the game itself as the hosts dominated but were kept at bay by a Juventus-dominated Italian rear-guard.
But 18 minutes from time AC Milan striker Balotelli picked up his second booking within three minutes to earn a red card.
That sent the troubled 22-year-old into an angry fit as he lashed out at anything within range once he'd left the pitch, as Italy coach Cesare Prandelli told him to sit down on the bench and stay calm.
"Balotelli was indeed agitated, it was his personal problem and he should learn to cope with it," said Prandelli.
Gianluigi Buffon kept Italy in the match with saves from Vladimir Darida, Petr Jiracek and Libor Kozak.
That was enough to push out the Azzurri lead over second-placed Bulgaria at the top of Group B to three points, with the Czechs two points further back.
In Zagreb, Robert Snodgrass notched the only goal of the game as Gordon Strachan's Scotland earned its first win of the qualifying campaign, ending fourth-ranked Croatia's unbeaten Group A record.
It also meant it dropped three points off Belgium, which maintained its unbeaten start with a 2-1 win over Serbia, which is now out of contention as it trails the group leader by 12 points.
Portugal gave itself a Group F lifeline as Helder Postiga's ninth-minute winner gave the host a 1-0 success against Fabio Capello's previously-unbeaten Russia.
Portugal is now top of the group, two points above Russia, which has two games in hand.
But it was still errant Italy forward Mario Balotelli who stole the headlines as he was sent off in his team's 0-0 draw at Czech Republic.
There was little to get excited about in the game itself as the hosts dominated but were kept at bay by a Juventus-dominated Italian rear-guard.
But 18 minutes from time AC Milan striker Balotelli picked up his second booking within three minutes to earn a red card.
That sent the troubled 22-year-old into an angry fit as he lashed out at anything within range once he'd left the pitch, as Italy coach Cesare Prandelli told him to sit down on the bench and stay calm.
"Balotelli was indeed agitated, it was his personal problem and he should learn to cope with it," said Prandelli.
Gianluigi Buffon kept Italy in the match with saves from Vladimir Darida, Petr Jiracek and Libor Kozak.
That was enough to push out the Azzurri lead over second-placed Bulgaria at the top of Group B to three points, with the Czechs two points further back.
In Zagreb, Robert Snodgrass notched the only goal of the game as Gordon Strachan's Scotland earned its first win of the qualifying campaign, ending fourth-ranked Croatia's unbeaten Group A record.
It also meant it dropped three points off Belgium, which maintained its unbeaten start with a 2-1 win over Serbia, which is now out of contention as it trails the group leader by 12 points.
Portugal gave itself a Group F lifeline as Helder Postiga's ninth-minute winner gave the host a 1-0 success against Fabio Capello's previously-unbeaten Russia.
Portugal is now top of the group, two points above Russia, which has two games in hand.
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