Lucarelli miss costs Italy victory
NEW YORK -- Striker Cristiano Lucarelli missed a late penalty as Italy had to settle for a 1-1 draw in a friendly with Ecuador at Giants Stadium, New York.
The Azzurri looked on the verge of winning the match when Ecuador's goalkeeper, Cristian Mora, dived in front of Antonio Langella to give away a penalty 10 minutes from time.
However, Mora turned Lucarelli's shot round the post.
The big Livorno striker then suffered the frustration of watching another shot cleared off the line in a goalmouth scramble barely a minute later.
The late drama was a fitting end to a lively match characterized by attacking, if not always elegant, football.
Italy, fielding an experimental side without any of their usual starting 11, began strongly and went ahead in the sixth minute when striker Luca Toni nodded a cross by Palermo team mate Andrea Barzagli into the net.
Ecuador were dangerously exposed to Barzagli's surges down the left in the opening minutes and Mora was soon called on to intercept another cross before it reached Toni's head.
Having reorganized their defense, however, the South Americans began to push forward.
In the 18th minute striker Carlos Tenorio burst into the Italian area and was tripped by defender Dario Dainelli, earning Ecuador a penalty.
Midfielder Marlon Ayovi fired the ball into the roof of the net to equalize.
Both sides missed good chances just before half-time. Tenorio again got the better of Dainelli, turning him on the edge of the area before blazing a shot narrowly over the bar.
At the other end, Mora flapped at a cross to leave his goal wide open but Toni could not jump high enough to head in at the far post.
Ecuador came out in determined mood after the restart and nearly grabbed a 54th-minute lead.
Ulises de la Cruz accelerated into the box and sidefooted the ball past Italy keeper Flavio Roma but Cristian Zaccardo turned it round the post just before it reached the line.
Lucarelli's late miss meant Italy racked up their third draw in eight days following the 0-0 deadlock in a World Cup qualifier with Norway last weekend and a 1-1 result in their midweek friendly against Serbia and Montenegro.