Spain manager Julen Lopetegui laments late draw with Italy

Posted Friday, October 07, 2016 by ESPN

Spain Julen Lopetegui lamented that Italy always seem to "have another life" after his side dominated most of the game but drew 1-1 in Thursday's World Cup 2018 Group G qualifier in Turin.

Spain dominated possession for much of the game, but needed a mistake from Italy goalkeeper Gigi Buffon to allow Sevilla winger Vitolo to knock the ball to the empty net for the opening goal.

Italy equalised from their only shot on target all game, a penalty converted by Daniele De Rossi after Sergio Ramos had tripped Eder inside the box, and remain unbeaten at home throughout a 50-game history of World Cup qualifiers.

Speaking to Teledeporte after the game, the recently installed La Roja boss said that his team had been excellent through much of the game, but admitted they had struggled when Italy went more direct after going behind.

"We played a good game in all senses," Lopetegui said. "An excellent first half, and a it was a pity we could not take the three points. This is Italy, who always have another life. We were unable to kill the game.

"Maybe in the last 20 minutes we could not deal with their direct play, and they had four forwards and there were a lot of physical battles. And in the end the penalty got them back into the game. We were the better team, deserved the three points. We have drawn though, and we must accept that."

Lopetegui said his team could take lessons from the game, as they move on to what the Basque boss said would be an even more difficult game on Sunday at early Group G leaders Albania.

"What we had worked on came off well," Lopetegui said. "We were on top of them for most of the game. But we must take lessons from both the good and the bad moments. And now we move on to an even harder test on Sunday. I insist that Albania will be even more difficult than this."

Atletico Madrid playmaker Koke echoed his manager in saying that Spain had deserved to be ahead, then lost control of the game when Italy took more risks late on.

"It was a very close game, we knew we needed to be very intense," Koke said. "We played a great first half, then got the goal in the second half. When we scored they moved up the pitch and pressed us.

"They went very direct, put a lot of people up front and it was more difficult for us. We could not get that second goal we needed. We should be happy with the result, playing here in Italy, although we're a bit disappointed at the result."

Koke declined an opportunity to criticise the decision for the Italian penalty, which was awarded by German referee Felix Brych, after Ramos' offence was spotted by the official behind the goal.

"The referee decided it was a penalty, well you must respect the decision of the officials," he said.

Spain's goalscorer Vitolo also spoke to Teledeporte, and said it would be unfair to criticise veteran Azzurri goalkeeper Buffon too much for his mistake, as the ball had bobbled at just the wrong moment.

"The ball bobbled a bit, so he missed it," the Sevilla winger said. "But Buffon is an incredible keeper and we should not make too much of it. You expect the keeper to clear the ball, but in this case it worked out well for me."

Vitolo lamented a clear chance he had at 1-0 ahead, when he ran clear but shot wide when facing Buffon one on one.

"I had a chance to score a second goal, but in the end it was not to be," he said. "So I keep working and next time the chance comes I can put it in."