Brazil ran riot thanks to an inspired display from Luis Fabiano who overshadowed some other big names on the night. Danny put Portugal in front on four minutes, only for Luis Fabiano to equalise five minutes later thanks to great play from Robinho. Kaka set up Luis Fabiano for the second midway through the first half. Early in the second period, Maicon made it 3-1, deceiving Quim at the near post and then Luis Fabiano bagged his hat-trick minutes later. Simao pulled one back for Carlos Queiroz’s side but further goals from Elano (probably the best of the night) and Adriano sealed an impressive friendly win.
After Albert Riera was brought down in the box, David Villa fired Spain in front against Chile. After the break the European Champions doubled their lead in fluid attacking fashuin, Xavi spun free on halfway line and charged straight up the pitch. His pass fed in Fernando Torres on the right, who cut inside and curled a beauty into the far corner. Santi Cazorla sealed the win with a deflected shot four minutes from time.
Argentina put together a wonderful flowing attack to score in Scotland early doors, Tevez broke down the right, his pass to Jonas Gutierrez was laid off to Maxi Rodriguez, and the Atletico man slotted home in McGregor’s near post.
England took the lead in Berlin thanks to horrible goalkeeping from Rene Adler, the keeper flapping at a Downing corner which Matthew Upson eventually turned over the line. Germany’s equaliser came after a nightmare mis-communication between John Terry and Scott Carson. Neither player dealt with a simple forward ball and Patrick Helmes nipped in to put the ball between the keeper’s legs. The Three Lions won the match with six minutes to go in a moment of rare quality, Downing delivered a perfect ball into the box and John Terry redeemed his earlier error with a textbook header into the far corner.
After a goalless first half, Theofanis Gekas put the hosts ahead, Luca Toni bringing the Azzurri level just four minutes later heading home De Rossi’s set play.
Ad Atene finisce 1-1: gli azzurri replicano con Toni, di testa, al gol dei padroni di casa, siglato da Gekas. Giuseppe Rossi discreto; primo tempo sottoritmo, buona ripresa.
Bayern Munich’s young sensation Toni Kroos gave Germany the lead over the Azzurri firing a stunning half-volley into the top corner from 25-yards out.
Gli azzurri di Casiraghi cedono in amichevole ai tedeschi, trascinati dal gol di un super Kroos. Partita equilibrata, e intensa nella ripresa. L’Italia ha giocato a viso aperto, mancando però in fase di conclusione: Balotelli parte bene poi si perde, Giovinco non è continuo, clamoroso palo per Santacroce.
Xhafa put Tirana ahead, beating Christian Abbiati with a great volley. Matters got worse for Milan when Inzaghi was forced off injured before the break. And it the second half the woes continued for the Rossoneri, Musaka doubled the lead with a stunning strike which went in just under the crossbar. Ronaldinho pulled a goal back in injury time, but AC could not find an equaliser against the Albanian minnows.
La squadra di Ancelotti perde la sesta amichevole dell’anno (2-1) contro gli albanesi del Tirana, ma si consola per i 45′ del difensore Nesta. Allarme Inzaghi, costretto a uscire dopo uno scontro di gioco. Di Ronaldinho il gol rossonero. Di Xhafa e Musaka gli altri gol.
Tunisian forward Issam Jemaa exploited terrible defending from Jean-Alain Boumsong to put the visitors ahead with a low angled shot that squeezed through Mandanda’s legs after half an hour. France levelled 10 minutes later with a superb goal from Thierry Henry, who fired into the top corner from just outside the box after a one-two with Yoann Gourcuff. And Henry was on target again three minutes into the second half, before Karim Benzema wrapped up the victory with a strike from the edge of the area.
Fernando Torres teed up Liverpool team mate Xabi Alonso to put the reigning European Champions one-up five minutes after the break against Denmark. Xavi scored the second with a lovely curling right-footed effort and on the stroke of full-time Xabi Alonso scored his second of the night following a lightning move culminating in a Capel cross and the Liverpool midfielder finished well.
Marcelo Lippi returned as manager of Italy and saw his team go 2-0 down thanks to goals from Pogatetz and Janko. But the Azzurri hit back with goals from Gilardino and an Ozcan og.
Occasioni sprecate ed errori in difesa: la squadra di Bruckner a Nizza va a sorpresa sul 2-0. Poi però viene fuori il carattere degli azzurri, che riagguantano il pari con due reti fortunose (Gilardino e un autogol del portiere) ma anche con impegno e ricerca della vittoria.
