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Daniele De Rossi and Francesco Totti had Italy's best chances in a goalless draw with the Ukraine that left Marcello Lippi with some question marks.
The Azzurri played their final warm-up game a week before the World Cup kicked off and Marcello Lippi went back to the 4-3-3 system that had proved so successful in friendly wins over Germany and Holland earlier this season.
Francesco Totti returned to the bench, allowing Alessandro Del Piero, Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino to form the trident attack. Gianluca Zambrotta was still injured, but Fabio Grosso recovered from a knock in Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Switzerland to start at left-back and Massimo Oddo replaced Cristian Zaccardo on the right.
Former Milan hero Andriy Shevchenko was on the bench after flying in from completing his £30m move to Chelsea. Ukraine were the first European nation to qualify for Germany 2006, their first major tournament, but four players were missing for this tie as they were preparing for the European Under-21 Championship Final.
Grosso chested down an inch-perfect Andrea Pirlo cross-field pass and brought a tough save out of Oleksander Shovkovsky at the near post with a cross-shot after seven minutes of play.
Mauro Camoranesi and Del Piero combined for Gilardino, who was closed down as he prepared to shoot from eight yards. Alessandro Nesta was put under pressure by Andriy Voronin and his header was off target.
Anatoly Tymoshchyuk's snapshot from distance took a deflection off Fabio Cannavaro, while Vladislav Vashchyuk was booked for a crunching tackle from behind on Gilardino.
Toni nearly made the most of another impressive Pirlo pass, while Andriy Gusin drilled over the bar and Oddo's cross was cleared with some difficulty with Gilardino lurking. Shovkovsky had to readjust his position to block a deflected Grosso centre.
A fine team move saw Camoranesi, Toni and Oddo combine before the Lazio man's cross was cleared off the head of the Fiorentina striker. Moments later, another Oddo-Gilardino exchange caused problems for the Ukrainian defence.
A Del Piero-Gilardino duet was stopped by a foul on the Juventus captain on the edge of the area. Del Piero's free kick was well saved by Shovkovsky as it curled towards the far post.
Del Piero was again involved when his cross found Toni's header into the ground, but again Shovkovsky was ready. Oddo combined with Camoranesi and was cut short by a well-timed challenge inside the area.
Daniele De Rossi unleashed a powerful effort from 25 metres that swung wide of the far post. Just before the break, there were timid penalty appeals for an Andriy Rusol handling offence.
The Azzurri should've taken the lead in first half stoppages, as a Grosso chipped pass found De Rossi's looping header, bringing an excellent reaction save out of Shovkovsky.
Neither side made changes at the break, but within 30 seconds of the restart Italy had again gone close. Gilardino backheeled a Del Piero pass for Toni, whose shot was over the bar.
The first real chance for the Ukraine was created on 50 minutes, when Maxim Kailinichenko came sliding in from six yards, but Buffon was comfortably able to gather the ball.
Lippi's men were sluggish after the break, so the Coach made three changes. Pippo Inzaghi was introduced for his first Azzurri appearance since a 4-0 win over Azerbaijan on October 11, 2003. Totti and Simone Perrotta also came on, as Del Piero, Pirlo and Toni left the field. Alessandro Nesta requested a substitution due to a muscular problem and made way for Palermo's Andrea Barzagli.
Ukraine were passing the ball around well, even though they were yet to really threaten Buffon. A long-range Gusin left-foot strike was comfortably controlled.
Palermo midfielder Simone Barone took over from Camoranesi, as Shovkovsky plucked Totti's deflected pass off the ground with Inzaghi about to pounce.
Marco Materazzi was Italy's final substitute as he came on for Fabio Cannavaro, but Totti showed he hasn't learned his lesson, as he was booked for shoving Tymoshchyuk in the back.
Materazzi threw himself at a Yesersky effort from the edge of the area and Buffon made his first save at the 80th minute, rushing out to close down a Voronin strike.
However, Italy kept creating the best chances, even though they were under pressure in this second half. Totti brought another tough save out of the goalkeeper with a rocket of a free kick from all of 30 metres with just six minutes left on the clock.
Inzaghi attempted an acrobatic finish and Perrotta drilled over the bar from the edge of the area.
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