Italy held as France and England secure victories

Beaten Euro 2012 finalists Italy were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by Bulgaria, but Didier Deschamps got his career as France coach off to a winning start as European qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil got under way on Friday. In Chisinau, Frank Lampard ensured England made a smooth start on the road to Brazil as the Chelsea midfielder bagged a brace in his side’s 5-0 demolition of Moldova. Argentine-born striker Pablo Osvaldo scored a brace in only his third game for Italy, but the Azzurri were pinned back by goals from Stanislav Manolev and Georgi Milanov in their Group B match. Italy manager Cesare Prandelli’s decision to revive the 3-5-2 formation he used only fleetingly at Euro 2012 looked questionable during a first half in which Bulgaria regularly exposed Italy’s defence. Just five weeks on from losing to Spain 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final, Italy allowed Bulgaria in for the equaliser in the 66th minute, a superb three-pronged move prying open the visitors’ defence to allow Milanov to drive the ball past Gianluigi Buffon. “I’m glad to have taken a point, but I’m disappointed because when we were leading 2-1 we had the chance to score a third goal,” Prandelli told Rai 1. “They played well and put us into difficulty. We lacked rhythm and precision.” Abou Diaby marked his return to international football with the only goal of the game as France began their bid to qualify for Brazil with a 1-0 win against Finland. It was hardly vintage stuff from Les Bleus in a brisk Finnish capital, but the Arsenal midfielder’s neat strike from a Karim Benzema assist in the first half allowed Deschamps’ first competitive game in charge to end in victory. France also had Hugo Lloris to thank, though, for a crucial late save as the hosts pushed forward in search of an equaliser. “It’s not easy, in general these things don’t start well,” Deschamps told French M6 TV. “It’s a shame that we had chances only for their ‘keeper to make good saves.”