Italy Victory!! Scotland 1-4 Italy

Scotland 1-4 Italy
Italy continued their UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ build-up with a useful friendly win in Kilmarnock.

Panico double
Scotland only missed out on the finals in Finland with an away goals play-off defeat by Italy's Group C rivals Russia, so were useful opponents for Italy. And despite the absence of Melania Gabbiadini through a thigh injury, Italy put on a fine performance in front of 1,811 fans, a record for a Scotland home women's international, with Patrizia Panico adding to goals to her hat-trick in the 5-1 win in Australia in their last game in February, which followed a 2-2 draw against the same opposition.

Italy ahead
The home side, for who captain Gemma Fay was making a 100th appearance in goal, began brightly and Arsenal LFC striker Suzanne Grant twice made Anna Maria Picarelli save early on. However, in the 19th minute Patrizia Panico exploited a loose ball to give Italy the lead and the visitors were in control from thereon.

Consolation
Two minutes into the second half Panico headed a second goal past Fay, and the third followed in the 72nd minute from Raffaella Manieri's long-range shot. Silvia Fuselli chipped another soon after, but there was a late consolation for Scotland when Pauline Hamill converted a penalty awarded for a foul on Grant, who was then replaced by debutant Diana Berry.

Finland trip
Italy's next scheduled friendly is against UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ hosts Finland at the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki on 28 May. The Azzurre will conclude their Group C campaign at that arena against Russia, having begun against England in Lahti on 25 August and then played Sweden in Turku. Scotland's next competitive fixture is their opening 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Group 3 qualifier in Greece on 24 October, with Georgia, Bulgaria and EURO finalists Denmark also in that section.