England's management team of Roy Hodgson
and Ray Lewington were highly interested
observers on a return to their old stamping
ground last night as two potential World Cup
opponents served up the best match seen at
Craven Cottage for a long time..

The two former Fulham managers will have
left with much to ponder. While Italy are
always tough opponents on this evidence
Nigeria could also provide an uncomfortable
encounter. Despite fielding a team largely
drawn from the domestic league and lesser
European teams Nigeria gave Italy a more
testing night than they could have expected
given the African champions only arrived in
London on Sunday after completing their
World Cup qualification on Saturday. With the
quality of Victor Moses, John Obi Mikel, Shola
Ameobi and the outstanding young Lazio
midfelder Ogenyi Onazi providing a
framework for their less exalted team-mates
Nigeria deserved their draw.
Italy, too, were understrength with Cesare
Prandelli making eight changes from the team
which drew with Germany on Friday. That
still meant a forward pair of Mario Balotelli
and Guiseppe Rossi were attacking a Nigerian
back four who represent Sunshine Stars,
Warri Warriors, Heartland and Turkish club
Cagkur Rizaspor.

It seemed a mis-match and Balotelli soon
turned Warriors' Azubuike Egwuekwe and
slid in Rossi for Italy's opener. But after
Austine Ejide denied Balotelli Toronto's Bright
Dike headed in at the far post to level. Nigeria
even went into the break ahead with Ameobi
superbly converting Francis Benjamin's left-
wing cross at the near post after Moses had
launched the attack.

Italy returned playing a much higher tempo
and though Balotelli was denied again
Sunderland's Emanuele Giaccherini soon
equalised. To huge cheers Andrea Pirlo
arrived and promptly drew a marvellous save
from Ejide. Marco Parolo and Alessandro
Diamante both stuck the woodwork but
Nigeria held on to further stiffen their rising
belief. They have not built on the promise
shown in the 1990s but under a local coach,
Stephen Keshi, they won the Cup of African
Nations last year. Maybe the West African
powerhouse are about to pull their weight..
Italy will not be too discouraged. Prandelli
took over after the wreckage of Italy’s dismal
2010 World Cup - the four-time winners
somehow came bottom of their group behind
Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand – and
took them into the final of Euro 2012. They
were then well beaten by Spain, but the
memory remained of Balotelli tearing
Germany apart in the semi-final.

The Azzurri subsequently cruised to World
Cup qualification and in 19 matches this year
only Argentina and Brazil have beaten them,
the latter in the Confederations Cup which
Italy exited only on penalties after pushing
Spain to their limits in the semi-finals. They
will, as ever, be contenders.



Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/italy-2-nigeria-2-two-potential-england-world-cup-opponents-give-hodgson-plenty-to-think-about-8947921.html

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