Records intact as late Italy leveller denies Spain

Daniele De Rossi's late penalty rescued a draw for Italy against Spain, and maintain their unbeaten record in home World Cup qualifiers.

Spain dominated both possession and the chances and will rue that they hadn’t put the game to bed before the spot kick.

Italy didn’t have a single shot in a goalless first half that saw Gerard Pique waste its two best chances, first heading wide from six yards and then from the same distance straight at Buffon having been teed up by a Sergio Ramos nod back across goal.

When Spain did take the lead shortly after the break it owed more to a rare howler from Gianluigi Buffon than their build-up play. The goalkeeper came rushing out of goal to clear a through ball but instead connected with nothing but air and Vitolo was on hand to roll the ball into an empty net.

The Sevilla man should have had a second shortly after, too, but dragged a shot wide after finding himself one-on-one with Buffon.

Italy livened up in the final twenty minutes, with the arrivals of Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti off the bench providing the spark, and they got the equaliser eight minutes from time when Eder nipped in front of Sergio Ramos at a cross and was upended by the defender to win a penalty.

De Rossi took the spot kick and sent David De Gea the wrong way to earn Italy a share of the spoils.

Is it time Spain ditched Costa? The Chelsea striker wasn't involved much, despite Spain's dominance, and they looked to be missing a cutting edge up top to make their dominance pay. Alvaro Morata has scored seven goals in nine games for Spain this calendar year and appeared more in-sync with his team-mates when he came on. Costa's undoubtedly a top striker, but questions remain over whether he's suited to Spain's style of play and with another indifferent display tonight while Morata waits in the wings, his days could be numbered. He was also fortunate to avoid getting a second booking - where have you heard that before?

David Silva (Spain). Italy couldn’t get near him all night, as he breezed past men in blue shirts and found space where there shouldn’t have been any. Along with Andres Iniesta, he controlled the tempo and provided his team-mates with plenty of chances, or at least create chances. On another night, or perhaps with a striker more like Sergio Aguero up front, his side could have won comfortably.

19’ – CHANCE! Pique heads an Iniesta cross wide, via a deflection, from just six yards out.

25’ – CHANCE! Another great chance for Pique! Ramos nods a cross back to him, right in front of goal, but he heads straight at Buffon.

55’ – GOAL! Italy 0-1 Spain (Vitolo) Buffon comes rushing out of goal but misses the ball entirely allowing Vitolo to slot into the empty net.

68’ – CHANCE! Vitolo is played through one-on-one but hooks his effort wide from just inside the area.

81' - PENALTY! Eder gets to a cross before Ramos and the defender, in his efforts to get to the ball, trips him.

82' - GOAL! Italy 1-1 Spain (De Rossi) De Gea guesses the wrong way as De Rossi slides the spot kick to his right and into the net.

Italy: Buffon 5, Barzagli 6, Bonucci 7, Romagnoli 7, Florenzi 6, Parolo 5, De Rossi 6, Montolivo 5, De Sciglio 5, Eder 6, Pelle 5. Subs: Bonaventura 5, Immobile 8, Belotti 6.

Spain: De Gea 6, Carvajal 7, Ramos 6, Pique 5, Alba 6, Busquets 7, Koke 6, Iniesta 8, Vitolo 6, Silva 8, Costa 6. Subs: Nacho 6, Morata 6, Thiago 6.

Italy have still never lost a home World Cup qualifier, having now played 50.

Spain have not lost a World Cup qualifier since 1993, a record spanning 55 games, when they lost to Denmark.

Italy did not have a single shot in the first half.