20 Nov 2008

Italian football coach equals record

6:30 pm on 20 November 2008

The Italian football coach Marcello Lippi has equalled the world record of 31 successive international games without defeat with his side drawing 1-all in a friendly with Greece in Athens.

The game, which saw Luca Toni equalise five minutes after Fanis Gekas put Greece ahead early in the second half, took Lippi level with Javier Clemente of Spain and Alfio Basile of Argentina.

Lippi, who has reached the mark over two stints with Italy, also beat the Italian record of 30 set by Vittorio Pozzo between 1935 and 1939.

Meanwhile England beat Germany 2-1 in a friendly in Berlin with Matthew Upson and John Terry scoring the goals for the visitors.

And in Glasgow, Diego Maradona won his first game in charge of Argentina, beating Scotland 1-nil.