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Luca Toni was on target, but Cristiano Lucarelli had a penalty saved as Italy end their US tour with a draw against Ecuador.
Italy's US tour concluded at Giants Stadium with a friendly match against Ecuador. Marcello Lippi gave Fiorentina defender Dario Dainelli his international debut, while Palermo pairing Luca Toni and Franco Brienza were joined by Udinese's David Di Michele. It was over 30 degrees Celsius in New York and very humid, as kick-off local time was 3pm.
The Azzurri's first chance came after just 90 seconds, as Di Michele charged down the left flank and only a desperate intervention at full stretch from Espinosa prevented Toni tapping in from six yards.
Soon after, goalkeeper Mora flew to palm a splendid Di Michele free kick out of the top corner and on to the roof of the net.
It was only a matter of time, as from the resulting corner kick Luca Toni flicked in Palermo teammate Franco Brienza's cross from the left with a looping header.
Moments later there was almost a second, as the Ecuador goalkeeper and a teammate slid in together to stop Toni sweeping home another Grosso centre.
The Palermo hitman then just failed to finalise a great team move by Di Michele and Brienza as the new-look Italy was playing some entertaining and fast-paced football in the early stages.
Ecuador got back into the game after 18 minutes, as Dainelli did not have a good start to his international career. The Fiorentina man nudged Carlos Tenorio over inside the area and Ayovi stepped up to convert the penalty, firing a fierce finish into the top corner.
Cristian Zaccardo put the ball in the net two minutes later, but it was correctly disallowed for Toni's push on the goalkeeper.
Baldeon drilled wide and Toni's first touch let him down as Ecuador began to pour forward, leaving space for Italy's counter-attacks.
Walter Ayovi showed his prowess from set-pieces with a rocket of a free kick that skimmed the crossbar on 38 minutes.
Carlos Tenorio then skipped round a defender and unleashed another fierce drive that was just over the bar. There was an extraordinary chance moments later when Ayovi's low cross found Tenorio at the back post, but he slid on to the ball and it dribbled inches wide of the upright.
Yet Italy could've taken the lead on the stroke of half-time when Toni's header was off target with the goalkeeper left stranded.
Cristiano Lucarelli, Antonio Langella and debutant Roberto Baronio came on for the second half, but kick-off was met with a heavy rainstorm over Giants Stadium.
Within moments of stepping on to the field, Langella set up Di Michele for a magnificent curling effort that was just wide of the far post.
However, at the other end Flavio Roma flew to palm away substitute Valencia's effort from 10 yards and Gomez drilled inches past the upright.
Ecuador were taking control now and Roma was beaten by a De La Cruz angled drive, but Zaccardo was ready for a goalline clearance that kept the Azzurri on level terms.
Reggina fullback Giandomenico Mesto also came on in place of Messina's Carmine Coppola.
There was a great chance for the Azzurri on the hour mark, as Di Michele rolled across for Lucarelli and his scuffed finish shaved the woodwork.
20-year-old Giorgio Chiellini stepped on in place of Di Michele, pushing Grosso into a more advanced position in the 4-4-2 system.
Despite being under constant pressure, Italy nearly snatched a winner on 77 minutes. Substitute Mesto sprung the offside trap and charged into the area, his shot beat the goalkeeper, but Ayovi dived in for a desperate goalline clearance.
Soon after, the Ecuadorian defence made a similar mistake and Langella ran into the box. The goalkeeper seemed to snatch the ball off his foot, but the American referee awarded a highly debatable penalty to the Azzurri. Lucarelli stepped up, but Mora got his revenge by saving the spot-kick.
There was chaos on the resulting corner kick, as goalline clearances and ricochets prevented Lucarelli and Mesto from netting. Udinese's Vincenzo Iaquinta replaced Marco Cassetti, who was suffering from cramp, in the final minutes.
There was one last chance for Langella, but he allowed a defender to take the ball off him when he was clear on goal.
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