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Six players made their Azzurri debuts and only a goalline clearance kept them out in an experimental friendly draw with Iceland.
Marcello Lippi started his international career with a 2-0 defeat in Iceland back in August 2004 and had the opportunity for revenge. It was above all an important chance to test out new faces for the World Cup squad, as Lecce fullback Marco Cassetti, Monaco goalkeeper Flavio Roma and Udinese stars Morgan De Sanctis, Vincenzo Iaquinta, David Di Michele and Giampiero Pinzi earned their first Azzurri caps.
Of the debutants, only goalkeeper Roma was in the starting eleven, as Luca Toni joined Cagliari duo Mauro Esposito and Antonio Langella upfront in a 4-3-3 system. Iceland made four changes to the side that beat Italy last summer, including the absence of Chelsea man Eidur Gudjohnsen.
Daniele De Rossi had the first shot on goal after three minutes, but his effort from distance failed to trouble goalkeeper Arason. Roma had rather more to do soon after, as Andrea Barzagli's error let H Sigurdsson in and the shot-stopper rushed off his line to narrow down the angle.
Palermo hitman Toni had an excellent scoring opportunity when his angled drive from the edge of the box was fingertipped round the post with Arason at full stretch.
Fabio Grosso's free kick was charged down after De Rossi had been brought down in a cynical challenge. Italy were dominating and a Marco Materazzi set-piece was deflected wide of the target.
The Azzurri thought they had broken the deadlock when Toni nodded in Langella's cross, but the referee disallowed it for a debatable push, as the two players seemed to be holding each other by the shirt.
A couple of minutes later, Italy saw yet another goal disallowed. An Esposito free kick came out to De Rossi and his shot fizzed through a sea of legs, but three teammates were in an offside position and Barzagli was certainly interfering with play.
In the final minute of the first half, Langella held up the ball for Toni and the hitman ballooned his finish over the bar.
De Sanctis, Cassetti, Iaquinta and Di Michele all made their debuts in the second half.
Lecce fullback Cassetti was about to make a spectacular impact on the Azzurri squad when he rose to nod a corner kick past the stranded 'keeper on the hour mark, but Kristian Sigurdsson was standing at the upright for a decisive goalline clearance.
Sampdoria man Aimo Diana replaced Juventus midfielder Manuele Blasi.
Esposito was one of the most impressive players on the night and drilled a good chance over the bar from Di Michele's pass, although he had already been halted for a correct offside decision.
Cagliari winger Esposito continued to trouble the Scandinavian defence and he was hacked down by Marteinsson, while Arason got down well to block a De Rossi free kick.
Esposito combined beautifully with Di Michele in the area and Iaquinta just failed to get on the end of the cutback from six yards.
The Azzurri couldn't seem to find a way to make their dominance count and bodies were flung at De Rossi and Diana in quick succession to charge down their shots.
Udinese midfielder Giampiero Pinzi became the final debutant of the evening when he stepped in for Simone Barone for the final stages. He is not entirely new to international level, as he had a starring role for the Under-21 side.
Iceland ended the game in ten men, as substitute Kari Arnason went in with his studs on Fabio Grosso's shin, prompting a straight red card just three minutes after stepping on to the pitch.
There was a curious moment when goalkeeper Arason took a step back to get Cassetti's looping cross-shot under control and only just kept the ball on the right side of the line.
There was some good news for Lippi this evening, as Moldova-Norway and Slovenia-Belarus ended in draws, so Italy remain top of World Cup qualifying Group 5 with a four-point lead.
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