Italy's Daniele De Rossi, left, and Spain's Andres Iniesta duel for the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group C match between Spain and Italy in Gdansk, Poland, Sunday, June 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
June 10, 2012 - 1:54 PM
GDANSK, Poland - Spain was held to a 1-1 draw by scandal-ridden Italy on Sunday at the European Championship.
Substitute Antonio Di Natale put Italy in front after an excellent setup from Andrea Pirlo in the 61st minute, and surprise starter Cesc Fabregas equalized three minutes later to finish off a dazzling display of Spain's trademark passing game.
Aiming for a third consecutive major championship after winning Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, Spain dominated the Group C match for long stretches but struggled to finish at times, while Italy relied on dangerous counterattacks.
Like when Italy won the 2006 World Cup, the Azzurri are weathering a widespread match-fixing scandal.
News from © The Associated Press, 2012