World Cup finalists Italy and Switzerland shared a scrappy 1-1 draw in a warm-up match on Wednesday.
Starting with playmaker Francesco Totti for the first time in over three months, Italy took a deserved lead in the 11th minute when Alberto Gilardino fired in from close range after a quickly-executed break down the left.
Switzerland seemed to wake up after that setback and were rewarded in the 32nd minute when midfielder Daniel Gygax sent a powerful shot past Gianluigi Buffon from the edge of the area.
As the first half drew to a close, the Swiss almost took a surprise lead when left back Ludovic Magnin headed a Tranquillo Barnetta free kick over the bar.
Both sides made six substitutions in the second half and there were few scoring chances, though substitute Swiss keeper Fabio Coltorti had to twice deal with threatening surges from fellow sub Vincenzo Iaquinta.
In an increasingly physical encounter, Italy were presented with plenty of dead ball opportunities but failed to come close with any of them.
SOMETHING MORE
"We came here for a friendly but we met a team who wanted something more," Italy coach Marcello Lippi told reporters.
"We wanted to verify the condition of a few players but found a different kind of atmosphere and had to adapt. Unfortunately we received a few knocks and a few injuries that forced me into substitutions I didn't want to make."
Swiss coach Koebi Kuhn was in a more upbeat mood, four days after holding fellow World Cup contenders Ivory Coast to a 1-1 draw.
"We've given ourselves a very hard week, with China still to play this Saturday, but I am very satisfied with tonight's performance," said Kuhn.
"Compared to the game against Ivory Coast, I thought the players had improved in all the areas I asked them to. They were more concentrated and lost the ball a lot less, even though they were playing against a stronger side."
Kuhn has moulded Switzerland's World Cup preparations with his team's group stage opponents in mind, picking Ivory Coast, Italy and China as sparring partners in preparation for their Group G rivals Togo, France and South Korea.
Italy, who continue the countdown with a friendly against Ukraine in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Friday, will square off against Czech Republic, U.S. and Ghana in Group E.
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