Italy held by Romania as Balotelli booed

Italy grabbed a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw with Romania in an international friendly here on Wednesday in which Manchester City’s Mario Balotelli was subjected to racist abuse.

Vfb Stuttgart striker Ciprian Marica had the former world champions on the back foot when putting Romania into a 34th minute lead only for substitute Fabio Quagliarella to score off a corner with 12 minutes remaining to produce the same scoreline as when the two countries met at Euro 2008.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli had been counting on City star Balotelli to spearhead his attack with American-born Giuseppe Rossi in the absence of Antonio Cassano, the Sampdoria striker who has not played for his club for a month after a fall out with their president Riccardo Garrone.

Balotelli, the Premier League player with Ghanaian origins, was the subject of boos and some racist abuse from a section of the fans, behaviour that marred the game in Klagenfurt, one of the venues for Euro 2008.

He and Rossi were replaced in the second half after failing to break down the Romanian defence.

Balotelli’s replacement, Quagliarella, duly made his mark when he knocked in Andrea Pirlo’s 82nd minute corner.

This showing by Italy failed to build on Prandelli’s renaissance of an Italian side that returned from the World Cup in South Africa in the summer with its tail between its legs after a limp defence of its 2006 title.

It was though an occasion for Prandelli to above all test out newcomers like defenders Andrea Ranocchia and Federico Balzaretti.

While gaining invaluable experience at this level they were caught out just after the half hour mark when Ciprian Deac fed Razvan Rat who flicked the ball onto Marica in the box with the Bundesliga star firing past keeper Emiliano Viviano.

This was Marica’s 13th international goal.

Romania had enjoyed the lion’s share of midfield forcing Prandelli to replace first timers Cristian Ledesma and Alessandro Diamanti by seasoned veterans Daniele De Rossi and Pirlo at the break.

While arguably fortunate to come away from this encounter with a point at least Prandelli and Italy can approach their winter hibernation in the knowledge that when they resume qualifying for Euro 2012 next year they do so as leaders of Group C by three points from Slovenia.

Romania in contrast will have to shift up a gear to make it to Poland and the Ukraine as they are well off the pace in Group D after no wins in three matches.