Switzerland and visiting Italy drew 1-1 Saturday in a friendly played six days before the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Gokhan Inler and Fabio Quagliarella were on target in the first half at the Stade de Geneve, where both sides seemed pleased with the draw and created fewer occasions after the break.
Marcello Lippi brought major changes to the Azzurri squad that on Thursday lost 2-1 to Mexico and obtained mild improvements.
The Swiss squad came from three defeats in as many friendlies with Costa Rica, Uruguay and Norway, but had a good start before the home crowd at the Stade de Geneve and went one up on 10 minutes.
Federico Marchetti’s fingertips only managed to graze the firm drive that Inler, a midfielder playing in Italy with Udinese, drilled into the lower right corner from outside the area.
The Italian goalkeeper filling in for star Gianluigi Buffon rejoiced four minutes later as he watched Quagliarella try a first header despite the opposition of Philippe Senderos and nod past Diego Benaglio on his second attempt.
Valon Behrami and Alexander Frei missed a couple of deflections for the hosts, while Italy striker Giampaolo Pazzini was twice late before the break on crosses from Christian Maggio and Riccardo Montolivo.
In the second half, both Lippi and his German counterpart Ottmar Hitzfeld brought on fresh players and tried to rehearse their tactics.
Marchetti made a single save to parry a central drive from substitute Xherdan Shaqiri.
Italy plays their first game in Group F against Paraguay on June 14, before tackling New Zealand and Slovakia.
A tough Group H awaits Switzerland with European champions Spain tackling them on June 16 before matches with Chile and Honduras.
