England trump Italy

England forward Jermain Defoe (L) fires home the second goal against Italy during their international friendly in Bern on Wednesday.Photo: AFP

England pulled off their first victory over Italy in 15 years in a friendly on Wednesday, while world champion Spain eased past Puerto Rico 2-1.
Visiting South American giants Argentina and Brazil also notched up comfortable victories over Germany and Sweden.
A stunning Jermain Defoe strike 10 minutes from time handed Roy Hodgson's England a 2-1 win, their first over the Italians since a 2-0 friendly victory in 1997.
It may not, however, make up for the pain of June's Euro 2012 quarterfinal defeat on penalties to the same opponents.
England had to come from behind, with Daniele De Rossi heading in to give the Euro 2012 runners-up a 15th-minute lead before Phil Jagielka equalised 12 minutes later with another header.
But just when the match seemed to be petering out to a draw, Defoe finished off a counter-attack led by fellow substitute James Milner before sending a 20-yard shot arrowing into Salvatore Sirigu's top-left corner.
In Bayamon, Santi Cazorla and Cesc Fabregas scored goals in the opening half for world champion Spain, who beat Puerto Rico, stretching their unbeaten streak to 12 straight matches.
It marked the first match for Spain since winning back-to-back European Championship titles last month.
Cazorla scored in the 42nd minute and Fabregas added a second goal in the 45th with a low volley.
Marc Cintron scored 19 minutes into the second half for Puerto Rico as he beat Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
In Frankfurt, Argentina, whose World Cup ambitions died in a four-goal thumping at German hands two years ago in South Africa, turned the tables with a 3-1 win, despite Lionel Messi mising a penalty.
The hosts ended up with 10 men and were struggling once they lost inexperienced goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler after he upended the onrushing Jose Sosa.
Germany's 20-year-old rookie Marc-Andre ter Stegen of Borussia Moenchengladbach took his place between the sticks -- then promptly saved a poor Messi penalty.
Messi would not be denied, however, and was at the heart of a fine move with the second goal in 52 minutes.
His effort all but wrapped things up after a curious opening goal saw Sami Khedira knock the ball over his own line for the opener in first-half injury time following Real Madrid teammate Angel Di Maria's corner.
Di Maria set the seal on the victory when he rifled home a left-footer from 30 yards with 11 minutes remaining.
Brazil secured a comfortable 3-0 win over Sweden at the soon-to-be demolished Rasunda Stadium, centrepiece of the 1958 World Cup finals the Brazilians won after beating the Swedish hosts 5-2.
In the northern port city of Le Havre, Didier Deschamps's first game at the French helm ended in a 0-0 stalemate with Uruguay.
It was the fourth consecutive match between the countries to finish goalless, although France twice struck the frame of the goal in their first match since Laurent Blanc left his post after their quarterfinal exit at Euro 2012.

RESULTS
Belgium 4 (Benteke 19, Mertens 74, Lukaku 77, Vertonghen 80) Netherlands 2
(Narsingh 53, Huntelaar 55)
Denmark 1 (Mikkelsen 22) Slovakia 3 (Jakubko 63, Hamsik 72, Guldan 83)
England 2 (Jagielka 27, Defoe 79)
Italy 1 (De Rossi 15)
France 0 Uruguay 0
Germany 1 (Hoewedes 82) Argentina 3 (Khedira 45+1-og, Messi 52, Di Maria 73)
Portugal 2 (Oliveira 31, Ronaldo 50) Panama 0
Russia 1 (Dzagoev 55) Ivory Coast 1 (Gradel 77)
Scotland 3 (Rhodes 29, Davidson 63-og, McCormack 76) Australia 1 (Bresciano 19)
Sweden 0 Brazil 3 (Leandro Damiao 32,
Pato 84, 87-pen)
Spain 2 (Cazorla 42, Fabregas 45) Puerto Rico 1 (Cintron 64)