| Giovanni Trapattoni's new tactics paid off with a 1-0 victory against Portugal as debutante Bernardo Corradi scored the winner.
Coach Trapattoni made sweeping changes for this international friendly encounter with Portugal. He introduced the 4-2-3-1 formation, as used by Real Madrid and Empoli, with Marco Delvecchio and Mauro Camoranesi out wide and Fabrizio Miccoli behind lone striker Bernardo Corradi.
There were three new faces in this game - Miccoli, Corradi and Argentine-born Camoranesi. The Juventus man did not sing the national anthem as he confessed that he has not yet learned the words. He becomes the 35th 'Oriundo' to play for the Azzurri, the 16th from Argentina.
The changes were also forced by injuries to Alessandro Del Piero, Christian Vieri and Francesco Totti. Gianluca Zambrotta has taken his new club position as a left-back to international level.
Portugal fielded a 3-4-3 formation under new Coach Luis Felipe Scolari. Familiar faces include Milan's Manuel Rui Costa, Inter winger Sergio Conceicao and Lazio defender Fernando Couto.
Italy were immediately aggressive from the start with plenty of crosses into the box and on three minutes Christian Panucci nodded a corner kick inches over the bar.
Perugia hero Miccoli was also relishing his debut and entertained the crowds with some trademark feints and dummies.
On 13 minutes Delvecchio was at full stretch and just failed to tap in a deflected Cristiano Zanetti centre.
Portugal had their first effort after 20 minutes when Luis Figo snatched the ball off Simone Perrotta and drilled well wide.
Miccoli used his blistering pace to charge past Couto and was hacked down on the edge of the box by Meira. From the resulting free kick goalkeeper Ricardo Pereira got down well to fingertip out Panucci's curling effort.
Soon after Delvecchio had another close-range effort deflected out and on the resulting corner Panucci's header was fingertipped onto the near post.
Miccoli was a constant danger and tested the goalkeeper's reflexes before drilling another effort wide moments later.
Only one substitution was made at half-time - Gianluigi Buffon in for the largely untested Francesco Toldo.
Portugal were more determined after the break and Rui Costa's effort was deflected round the upright by Fabio Cannavaro's ankle.
The midfield was under pressure so Massimo Ambrosini and Alessandro Birindelli were introduced.
The deadlock was eventually broken on the hour mark with the new boys combining for the goal. Miccoli's header on a Birindelli centre was deflected back towards him and without hesitating the Perugia starlet blasted towards goal. The 'keeper managed to parry it into the path of Corradi for a close-range strike.
Miccoli helped create another good chance moments later with a back heel for Zambrotta, but the Portugese defence closed him down.
Nicola Legrottaglie stepped into defence and almost scored with his first touch of the ball, nodding a corner kick inches wide of the far post.
Buffon was not surprised by a Figo free kick, but at the other end Ambrosini brought a desperate save out of the 'keeper with a spectacular volley from the edge of the box. Soon after Pippo Inzaghi's diving header was just off target.
Stefano Fiore has been left out of Trap's plans in the last few months and was given ten minutes of this game. But it was Panucci who took the inititative again, dribbling past four players before he was hacked down.
In the final minute Luis Boa Morte drilled a weak effort wide after taking the ball off Alessandro Nesta.
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