Swiss hold Italy to friendly draw

Switzerland and world champion Italy drew 1-1 on Saturday in the final World Cup warmup match for both teams.

Switzerland took a 10th minute lead when Gokhan Inler fired a powerful shot into the bottom left corner from 18 meters (20 yards).

Italy leveled in the 14th when Fabio Quagliarella's header went in off the post, after he reacted faster than defender Philippe Senderos to a loose, looping ball.

Though Italy did not shine in a match lacking creativity and scoring chances, the result is a good omen.

The Italians drew 1-1 in Geneva against Switzerland in warmups before winning the World Cup in 1982 and in 2006.

Swiss coach Ottmar Hitzfeld long ago chose Italy as the best preparation for meeting the Spanish. However, the match arrived with the out-of-form Swiss needing a boost to morale after a 1-0 defeat against Costa Rica on Tuesday.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi rested most of his regular starters with only captain Gianluca Zambrotta having begun a 2-1 loss by Mexico 48 hours earlier.

"This wasn't the second team because we are one Italy. We had to give those players from the Mexico game a rest," Lippi said.

The action started busily, despite both teams citing weariness in their midweek defeats after coming down from Alpine training camps at altitude.

Inler's goal was a quick reply to Swiss critics who this week said he has not stepped up as the dominating force they expected.

The 25-year-old midfielder cut inside a challenge and shot left-footed to beat goalkeeper Federico Marchetti's dive.

Inler is the only Swiss player to score in its five-match winless streak since qualifying to play in South Africa. He converted a penalty in a 3-1 loss to Uruguay in March.

Italy leveled four minutes later as Quagliarella beat Senderos to head a ball which spun upward from their first aerial challenge.

The first half passed without another clear chance, though Giampaolo Pazzini just failed to connect on two 42nd-minute crosses into the Swiss goalmouth.

Both sides struggled to find an attacking rhythm in the second half, even before a succession of substitutions further disrupted the flow of play.

Swiss substitutes Eren Derdiyok and Hakan Yakin had late efforts go off target before Marchetti was finally forced into a save in stoppage time.

The 18-year-old midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri advanced deep in the Italian half and his shot was parried to safety by the Cagliari 'keeper.

Italy opens its Group F campaign against Paraguay on June 14.

Switzerland begins in Group H against tournament favorite Spain on June 16.

Lineups:

Switzerland: Diego Benaglio (Marco Woelfli, 46), Stephan Lichtsteiner, Philippe Senderos, Stephane Grichting, Reto Ziegler (Ludovic Magnin, 81), Valon Behrami (Tranquillo Barnetta, 58), Gokhan Inler, Benjamin Huggel, Gelson Fernandes (Xherdan Shaqiri, 88), Alex Frei (Hakan Yakin, 75), Blaise Nkufo (Eren Derdiyok, 68).

Italy: Federico Marchetti, Christian Maggio, Salvatore Bocchetti, Giorgio Chiellini, Gianluca Zambrotta (Domenico Criscito, 81), Andrea Cossu (Simone Pepe, 46), Gennaro Gattuso (Vincenzo Iaquinta, 86), Angelo Palombo (Daniele De Rossi, 88), Riccardo Montolivo, Fabio Quagliarella (Antonio Di Natale, 67), Giampaolo Pazzini (Alberto Gilardino, 77).