U-21's Friendly: England 3-3 Italy

A hat-trick from Giampaolo Pazzini inaugurated the new Wembley stadium as the Italian Under-21 side held their English counterparts to an entertaining 3-3 draw.

A crowd of nearly 56,000 saw Pazzini score after just 29 seconds with a stunning strike to record the first official goal at the new ground. There seemed to be little danger as Pazzini picked up the ball in the centre circle and ran at Anton Ferdinand, but he slammed a powerful shot past Lee Camp from 25 yards via a slight deflection off Ferdinand.

David Bentley was England's star performer and he drew the score level at 1-1 in the 30th minute with a delightful free-kick that dipped over the defensive wall from 20 yards and flew into the left-hand corner of Gianluca Curci's goal.

The pitch started to cut up in places but the state of the surface did not detract from the entertainment as Wayne Routledge beat Curci at his near post with a fine finish after 52 minutes to put the home side ahead.

Their lead lasted just one minute as Pazzini turned home Antonio Nocerino's pass from close range after England had failed to clear a corner. However, England's advantage was restored on 58 minutes when James Milner played Bentley's cross back into the centre and Matt Derbyshire reacted quickly to slot the ball home off the post.

Pazzini grabbed his third in the 68th minute as he darted down the right wing and sent a low shot past Camp, and the Fiorentina youngster later missed a glorious opportunity to score a fourth before being substituted with ten minutes remaining.

The Azzurrini dominated possession in the closing stages but neither side could force a winner in a dress rehearsal for their European Under-21 Championship group game this summer.