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Italy, Russia in 1-1 tie
MOSCOW (AP) -- Italy, trying to avoid missing the World Cup for the first time since 1958, gave up an own-goal in the second half and tied Russia 1-1 Wednesday night in a key World Cup playoff.In a game played in steady snow and sharp wind, the teams used an orange ball to contrast against the snow.
To qualify, Italy must either beat Russia in the return leg of the playoffs at Naples on Nov. 15 or play a scoreless tie.
Russia would qualify for the 32-team field in France next summer with a win or a tie of 2-2 or higher. A 1-1 tie in the second leg would force sudden-death overtime and possibly penalty kicks.
The harsh weather limited attendance in the 45,000-seat stadium to a surprisingly low 20,000, including Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and a few hundred hardy flag-waving Italians.
Christian Vieri scored for Italy five minutes into the second half, but Fabio Cannavaro accidentally put the ball in his own net two minutes later.
Vieri scored Italy's first-ever goal on Russian soil, getting around defender Ahrik Tsveiba and beating goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov from just inside the penalty area.
Dmitry Khokhlov, replacing injured Andrei Kanchelskis at halftime, set up the equalizer with a low cross. It eluded forward Sergei Yuran but bounced off the sliding Cannavaro and into the net.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca was injured when Kanchelskis ran into him in the 32nd minute and was replaced by 19-year-old Gianluigi Buffon, the team's No. 3 goalkeeper. Regular starter Angelo Peruzzi missed the game because of injury.
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