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Coach Lippi breaks record after Italy draw

  • Story Highlights
  • Luca Toni scores a header to earn Italy a 1-1 draw against Greece in Athens
  • Greece took the lead when substitute Fanis Gekas scored from close-range
  • The result means Marcello Lippi is unbeaten in 31 matches as Italian coach
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(CNN) -- Italy national coach Marcello Lippi broke Vittorio Pozzo's record of 30 consecutive matches without defeat as the Italians came away from Athens with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Greece.

Toni is congratulated by jubilant team-mates after earning Italy a 1-1 draw against Greece in Athens.

The world champions needed a goal from Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni to force the draw, when in the 54th minute he headed home a free-kick from Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi.

Four minutes earlier, the Greeks had taken a 1-0 lead when substitute Fanis Gekas scored from close-range after taking a pass from Alexandros Tziolis which split the Italian defense.

It was the first time that Greece had scored against Italy since 1981.

In a match of few chances, the visitors wasted a superb opportunity to open the scoring in the ninth minute when Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi missed the target after a mix-up in the Greek defense.

A shot by Rossi in the 45th minute, from just outside the penalty area, had debutant goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas making a diving save, while Italy could have sealed victory soon after Toni's goal when Tzorvas tipped away a shot from Mauro Camoranesi.

Lippi guided Italy to the 2006 World Cup and has now not lost as coach of the side in 31 games over two spells in charge, matching the record shared by Javier Clemente of Spain and Alfio Basile of Argentina.

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