Miccoli off the mark as Italy humble Portugal

Italy's players celebrates after scoring during the international friendly football match against Portugal at the Braga Stadium, northern Portugal.

Fabrizio Miccoli's first international goal gave Italy a 2-1 win over Euro 2004 hosts Portugal in an entertaining friendly between two of the tournament favourites.

Miccoli scored the winner direct from a left-wing corner 15 minutes from time to snatch victory, although the goal owed a great deal to the poor goalkeeping of Ricardo, who let the Juventus striker's inswinging kick slip through his fingers.

Nuno Valente's crisp finish gave Portugal a fourth minute lead, only for Christian Vieri's firm header to level the scores for the visitors just before half-time.

Italy's narrow victory in the new Braga stadium, one of 10 to have been built or totally renovated for the 16-nation European football finals which run between June 12 and July 4, maintained their excellent run against the Portuguese, who have not beaten the Azzurri since a 2-1 friendly win in December 1976.

Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni fielded an experimental line-up with Bologna striker Carlo Nervo drafted in a few hours before kick-off after Juventus' Marco Di Vaio pulled out with a chest infection.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was handed the captain's armband on his 44th international appearance for the Italians.

Italy were the first to threaten in the third minute when Nervo ran on to Stefano Fiore's through ball and forced Ricardo to rush off his line and clear.

But despite a promising start it was Portugal who took the lead 60 seconds later with Manuel Rui Costa, who plays in Italy for AC Milan, providing the killer pass.

The former Fiorentina midfielder's cheeky back-heel set up Nuno Valente who ran through unmarked to beat Buffon at the near post with a rasping drive.

It was the first goal Portugal have scored against Italy since 1993 and Valente's first international goal.

Portugal had the lion's share of possession after their early strike, but failed to convert their chances, and they paid for their wayward shooting six minutes before the break.

Francesco Totti took a quick free-kick and Vieri rose to head home, despite complaints from the home side that the Inter Milan striker had pushed Paulo Ferreira.

A total of 16 second-half substitutions disrupted the rhythm of the match, but Italy looked sharper than their hosts after the interval and should have scored when Bernardo Corradi shot straight at Ricardo with only the Portual keeper to beat.

However, from the resulting corner, Italy made amends as Miccoli's swerving set-piece fooled Ricardo whose poor handling left him red-faced.