Spain 2 Italy 0

Spain held the edge over a cautious Italian side and are gathering together a real threat to the other sides at the Euro 2000 finals in June.

Early promise from a Spanish national side often fades when a tournament starts but Jose Camacho has produced an entertaining side that took advantage of Italian errors in defence to win this friendly.

Italy coach Dino Zoff seems no nearer a team plan and staff to get his side into the later stages of the Euro finals but the addition of Inter's Christian Vieri who was injured for this game could prove decisive in boosing Italian confidence come June.

Vieri's presence would help to give Italy's forward play much needed focus as the visitors managed to restrict Spain to long distance shooting after Raul almost gave his team the lead in the 4th minute when he ran through on goal but goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon beat his shot away.

Poor defending saw Alfonso claim the lead for Spain just after the hour when a corner was allowed to reach him unmarked at the far post and Italy repeated the same error when Abelardo ran ahead of his marker and buried an 80th minute header.