GDANSK, June 10: Spain had to come from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with a dangerous-looking Italy in their opening Euro 2012 Group C match on Sunday as the holders’ decision to start without a recognised striker backfired.    

Italy, who lost three friendlies in a row before the finals and were forced to play with a makeshift defence, went ahead after an hour when Andrea Pirlo slid the ball into the path of Antonio Di Natale, who tucked it home three minutes after coming on to replace Mario Balotelli.

The lead lasted only four minutes as David Silva sent a beautifully-weighted pass behind the Italian defence which midfielder Cesc Fabregas, playing as his side’s most advanced player, gathered to score and finish off a dazzling display of Spain’s trademark passing game.

Di Natale and substitute Spain striker Fernando Torres, twice, both missed good chances in the final quarter with the latter seeing his chip sail over the bar with Italian ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon well off his line as the teams opened up following a relatively flat first-half.

Aiming for a third consecutive major championship after winning Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, Spain dominated the Group C match for long stretches but struggled to finish at times, while Italy relied on dangerous counterattacks.

Like when Italy won the 2006 World Cup, the Azzurri are weathering a widespread match-fixing scandal.

In the first-half, after two poor shots from Silva, Italy had the first real threat with a curling free-kick from Pirlo in the 13th minute, drawing a diving save from Iker Casillas while Antonio Cassano dragged a shot wide for the Italians.

Buffon easily stopped a low shot from Andres Iniesta in the 30th, while at the other end Casillas had trouble gathering a volley from Claudio Marchisio in the 36th. Balotelli was shown a yellow card for a foul on Jordi Alba in the 37th.

Spain had Casillas to thank for still being all square at the break as he pulled off an excellent one-handed reflex save from Thiago Motta’s powerful close-range header before Iniesta went closest with a shot that went just over the bar shortly before half-time. —Agencies