Italy frustrated in Belfast as Ozil downs Turkey

Italy were held to a goalless draw by Northern Ireland in their Euro 2012 qualifying match in Belfast yesterday, dropping their first points of the campaign in a dour battle.

In Berlin, Germany’s young Turk Mesut Ozil scored in his side’s 3-0 win over Turkey to keep Joachim Loew’s team top of Group A with three straight wins and Russia roared back into contention in Group B with a thrilling 3-2 win over Ireland in Dublin.

Italy enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and by far the better goalscoring opportunities, but ultimately had to settle for only a point in front of a spirited Windsor Park crowd.

The result left Italy top of Group C with seven points from three matches, one point ahead of Estonia, who stunned Serbia 3-1 in Belgrade. Northern Ireland have four points from two matches.

It was a disappointing outing for Italy, who dominated for large parts of the game but were unable to find the goal which would have taken them four points clear at the top of the group.

A gritty first half saw Northern Ireland squander a gilt-edged chance to take the lead on 30 minutes, when an unmarked David Healy nodded wide from an inviting cross from the right hand side by Chris Brunt.

Italy also could have taken the lead moments later, when Marco Borriello was put clear on goal only to hammer his shot directly at Northern Irish keeper Maik Taylor.

Andrea Pirlo wasted a glorious chance on 69 minutes when he blazed over the bar from just inside the area. Simone Pepe added insult to injury moments later when he shot across the face of goal after being picked out by Cassano.

Italy, who opened their qualifying campaign with victories over Estonia and Faroe Islands last month, face Serbia in Genoa on Tuesday.

With a maximum nine points, Germany are in firm control of Group A while Turkey are second and suffered their first defeat of the qualifying campaign.

Germany born-and-bred to Turkish parents, Ozil, 21, was booed by boisterous Turkish fans who made up more than half of the 74,244-capacity Olympic Stadium crowd, but he silenced the jeers with a 79th-minute goal to seal the win.

The hosts had taken the lead when veteran striker Miroslav Klose scored just before half-time and the Bayern Munich star slotted his second on 87 minutes.

Remarkably, Klose has yet to score a goal in the Bundesliga this season after seven matches, but he has now netted five times in three internationals already this term in Euro 2012 qualifiers.

First-half goals from Alexander Kerzhakov and Alan Dzagoev and a second-half strike by Roman Shirokov stunned Ireland, but a late home rally that brought goals from Robbie Keane and Shane Long ensured a tense finale.

Despite a dramatic final flurry, Ireland ultimately left themselves too much to do, and the defeat, just Ireland’s second competitive loss under Giovanni Trapattoni, is a blow to their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012, increasing the pressure to get a result from Tuesday’s trip to Slovakia.

Scotland slipped to the first defeat of their qualifying campaign after a Roman Hubnik goal gave the Czech Republic a well-deserved 1-0 win in Prague.