Lippi equals world record in charge of Italy
20/11/2008 17:50
Italy coach Marcello Lippi equalled the world record of 31 successive
international games unbeaten as the world cup champions drew 1-1 with hosts
Greece in yesterday's friendly.
Luca Toni equalized in the 54th minute to
secure the tie for Italy after Greece's Fanis Gekas helped the hosts lead four
minutes earlier.
The draw in Athens took Lippi, who's in his second stint
with Italy, level with Javier Clemente of Spain and Alfio Basile of Argentina on
the unbeaten mark of their respective teams in charge.
It also saw Lippi beat
the Italian record of 30 set by Vittorio Pozzo between 1935 and 1939.
Lippi's
record covers the duration of Italy's World Cup winning campaign in Germany when
he ran his first charge from 2004 to 2006.
He was reappointed this year after
Italy's poor performance at the European Championships under Roberto
Donadoni.
"The unbeaten streak in itself is meaningless without that
important victory," commented Lippi.
Xinhua
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