Italy see off Uruguay in friendly after bizarre José Giménez own goal

A bizarre early own goal by defender José Giménez set Italy on the way to a convincing 3-0 win over Uruguay in a friendly played in Nice on Wednesday.

Two more goals in the last 10 minutes, a header from Brazilian-born forward Éder and a Daniele De Rossi penalty, condemned the South Americans to their fifth successive defeat while Italy extended their unbeaten run to nine games.

It was the first meeting between the two sides since their controversial match at the 2014 World Cup when Uruguay forward Luis Suárez bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini, and was subsequently suspended from football for four months. Suárez missed Wednesday’s game through injury while Chiellini came on as a substitute in the second half.

In the seventh minute of the match, Lorenzo Insigne launched a long ball forward and Andrea Belotti chested it down with his back to goal – only for Atlético Madrid defender Giménez to take it off his foot, inadvertently rifling a shot past his own goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

Uruguay, also missing Edinson Cavani through injury, rallied in the second half. Martín Cáceres headed the ball into the net on the hour but the goal was harshly disallowed for a foul on Riccardo Montolivo.

Éder diverted Manolo Gabbiadini’s shot into the net with a close-range header in the 83rd minute, before De Rossi scored from a penalty in stoppage time after Stephan El Shaarawy was tripped by the hapless Giménez.

In Murcia, Real Madrid’s Álvaro Morata rescued a draw for Spain against Colombia to extend Julen Lopetegui’s unbeaten start as national coach.

David Silva opened the scoring for the hosts in the 22nd minute, turning home Pedro’s cross, but midfielder Edwin Cardona equalised for Colombia five minutes before half-time. Falcao’s 55th-minute header from a corner gave Colombia the lead, as they extended an unbeaten run against European sides stretching back to 2011.

While other Real Madrid players were rested, Morata – a late substitute in the Champions League final – was brought on for Iago Aspas and earned a draw in the 87th minute, heading in from Saúl Ñíguez’s left-wing cross.