Scolari starts reign with defeat

Italy 1-0 Portugal
Brazilian FIFA World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari made a losing start in charge of Portugal as his side were beaten by Italy thanks to Bernardo Corradi's debut goal.

International debuts
Italy started the game in Genoa without their entire first-choice attack, with Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti and Christian Vieri all injured. Coach Giovanni Trapattoni handed international debuts to S.S. Lazio forward Bernardo Corradi and AC Perugia starlet Fabrizio Miccoli and both were influential performers in the home side's success.

Miccoli causing problems
Both sides showed invention from the start, but it was Italy who had the bulk of the chances. Defender Christian Panucci saw a header flash just over the crossbar on four minutes. The diminutive Miccoli was causing Portuguese defence constant problems with his pace and on 27 minutes he met a Cristiano Zanetti pass to hit a snap-shot that tested goalkeeper Ricardo.

Attacking threat
Ricardo continued to be kept busy and had to pull off a number of fine saves. Panucci was the surprise attacking threat as he first tested Ricardo with a low free-kick and then a thundering header.

Crucial goal
It was Corradi who scored the crucial goal on 62 minutes, hooking the ball into the net after Ricardo had parried away a fierce Miccoli shot. Portugal attempted to get back into the game but a series of substitutions by both sides broke up the rhythm.

Late flurry
Italy went close to a second goal with a late flurry which saw Nicola Legrottaglie head wide with his first touch after coming on and then another subsitute, Filippo Inzaghi, was just off target with a diving header from a Miccoli cross.

Morale boost
The win was a much-needed morale boost for Trapattoni's side who had won just one of their previous eight games and are struggling in their UEFA EURO 2004™ qualification campaign. They are third in Group 9 behind Wales and Serbia and Montenegro, but will be delighted with the latter's 2-2 home draw in a qualifier against Azerbaijan earlier today.