The first-ever proper game at England's magnificent new Wembley stadium, between England Under 21s and Italy Under 21s, finished in an amazing 3-3 draw.
Italy Under 21's Pazzini scored the first-ever goal at the new Wembley in a professional game after just 29 seconds. He also became the first-ever player to receive a yellow card at the new Wembley and the first-ever player to score a hat-trick at the new Wembley.
Now for decades people will remember the first-ever proper goal at the new Wembley being scored after just 29 seconds, similar to how people always remember the "White Horse" FA Cup final between Bolton and West Ham in 1923 which was the first-ever game at the old Wembley.
60,000 fans watched this game at the new stadium, which has a capacity of 90,000 (only 60,000 tickets were sold for this game), a world record attendance for an Under 21s game. The largest stadium in North America is the Giants Stadium in New York which has a capacity of just 80,000.
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Goals rain down in first England game at new Wembley
24th March 2007
England Under 21s 3-3 Italy Under 21s
..................................Pazzini 1, 53, 68
Bentley 30
Routledge 52
Derbyshire 58
The shine could have been taken off England's big day - the first competitive football match at the new Wembley Stadium - when their opponents Italy scored within 30 seconds of the kick-off.
But Blackburn's David Bentley equalised for the home team to make it 1-1 at half-time.
Shortly after the break Wayne Routledge drilled a goal low past the keeper, only for Gianpaulo Pazzini to equalise seconds later.
That goal was matched by Matt Derbyshire, who put England ahead again only five minutes later, but then Pazzini struck again to score the first ever hattrick at the new stadium.
Quick off the mark: Pazzini shoots past England's defence for the first competitive goal at the new Wembley
Many of the tens of thousands of fans had barely taken their seats when Pazzini scored for Italy's under-21 team to give the famous stadium it's first goal in a time that will be hard to beat.
Some 60,000 England supporters filled the stadium as the national under-21 side took on Italy in a world record attendance for an under-21s game.
The first goal hits the net after only 29 seconds
Tickets sold out for the event in less than six hours as fans jammed phone lines in a bid to become among the first people to see a game at the revamped venue.
But although most fans arrived at the stadium today without problems, dozens who had already shelled out hundreds of pounds for special season passes were forced to queue to collect their tickets for today's game.
David Bentley equalised for the home team to make it 1-1 at half-time
One fan, businessman Steve Wright, from Hertfordshire, said he was "appalled" with the organisation after he queued for his ticket despite paying out £3,000 18 months ago.
He said: "They've had long enough to plan it, I think it is appalling. I run a company of 500 people and I would not treat them like this."
Mr Wright was one of many Club Wembley members who have applied for the right to buy a season ticket every year for the next 10 years.
A Wembley spokeswoman said there had been "teething problems" with issuing tickets for today's game to Club Wembley members and she apologised to the fans.
But she added that today's match was not a "core" event for Club Wembley and was merely a test to bring in 60,000 fans to the new stadium ahead of it being granted a safety licence.
Teams:
England: Lee Camp, Liam Rosenior (Justin Hoyte 57), Leighton Baines, Nigel Reo-Coker (c), Anton Ferdinand, Gary Cahill, David Bentley (Ashley Young 87), Leroy Lita, Kieran Richardson (Tom Huddlestone 79), Gabriel Agbonlahor (Matt Derbyshire 46), Wayne Routledge (James Milner 57)
Subs Not Used: Ben Alnwick, Liam Ridgewell, Lee Cattermole, Cameron Jerome, Joe Hart
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Italy: Gianluca Curci, Marco Andreolli, Giorgio Chiellini (c) (Domenico Criscito 62), Antonio Nocerino (Andrea Lazzari 62), Andrea Mantovani (Andrea Coda 62), Alessandro Potenza (Andrea Raggi 46), Riccardo Montolivo, Guiseppe Rossi (Arturo Lupoli 62), Gianpaolo Pazzini (Graziano Pelle 79), Alessandro Rosina, Simone Padoin (Raffaele De Martino 45)
Subs Not Used: Emiliano Viviano, Daniele Dessena, Gabriele Paonessa
UNDER 21 GAME
ENGLAND 3-3 ITALY
Fans can take in the huge arch that spans the arena as they stroll up Wembley Way from the underground station
--------------------
The impressive looking stadium starts to fill up well before kick-off with fans eager to savour the atmosphere
-------------------
Those lucky enough to have a car park pass must pass through stringent security checks before leaving their vehicles
----------------------
A footbridge named after the famous White Horse from the 1923 FA Cup final provides another route to the stadium
---------------------
Inside the stadium, the England Under 21 side is introduced to the two-thirds full stadium ahead of the 1230 GMT kick-off
----------------------
It is the first time the Under-21 side will appear at Wembley as the previous incarnation was solely for first-team action
-----------------------
An incredible start ot the game sees Gianpaolo Pazzini stun the fans by scoring the first goal after just 29 seconds
----------------------
Commit the name Gianpaolo Pazzini to memory as the Italian is sure to become a pub quiz queston certainty in the future
-----------------------
David Bentley is the England name to remember as the Blackburn midfielder curls in a free-kick to level
-----------------------
Fulham's Wayne Routledge puts England in front after half time, smashing in Matt Derbyshire's cross from an acute angle
-----------------------
Pazzini levels almost immediately for Italy but Derbyshire restores England's lead from close range five minutes later
-----------------------
However, Pazzini ensures his name will not be easily forgotten when he completes the new Wembley's first hat-trick in only the stadium's first professional game
dailymail.co.uk
Italy Under 21's Pazzini scored the first-ever goal at the new Wembley in a professional game after just 29 seconds. He also became the first-ever player to receive a yellow card at the new Wembley and the first-ever player to score a hat-trick at the new Wembley.
Now for decades people will remember the first-ever proper goal at the new Wembley being scored after just 29 seconds, similar to how people always remember the "White Horse" FA Cup final between Bolton and West Ham in 1923 which was the first-ever game at the old Wembley.
60,000 fans watched this game at the new stadium, which has a capacity of 90,000 (only 60,000 tickets were sold for this game), a world record attendance for an Under 21s game. The largest stadium in North America is the Giants Stadium in New York which has a capacity of just 80,000.
------------------------------------------------------------
Goals rain down in first England game at new Wembley
24th March 2007
England Under 21s 3-3 Italy Under 21s
..................................Pazzini 1, 53, 68
Bentley 30
Routledge 52
Derbyshire 58
The shine could have been taken off England's big day - the first competitive football match at the new Wembley Stadium - when their opponents Italy scored within 30 seconds of the kick-off.
But Blackburn's David Bentley equalised for the home team to make it 1-1 at half-time.
Shortly after the break Wayne Routledge drilled a goal low past the keeper, only for Gianpaulo Pazzini to equalise seconds later.
That goal was matched by Matt Derbyshire, who put England ahead again only five minutes later, but then Pazzini struck again to score the first ever hattrick at the new stadium.
Quick off the mark: Pazzini shoots past England's defence for the first competitive goal at the new Wembley
Many of the tens of thousands of fans had barely taken their seats when Pazzini scored for Italy's under-21 team to give the famous stadium it's first goal in a time that will be hard to beat.
Some 60,000 England supporters filled the stadium as the national under-21 side took on Italy in a world record attendance for an under-21s game.
The first goal hits the net after only 29 seconds
Tickets sold out for the event in less than six hours as fans jammed phone lines in a bid to become among the first people to see a game at the revamped venue.
But although most fans arrived at the stadium today without problems, dozens who had already shelled out hundreds of pounds for special season passes were forced to queue to collect their tickets for today's game.
David Bentley equalised for the home team to make it 1-1 at half-time
One fan, businessman Steve Wright, from Hertfordshire, said he was "appalled" with the organisation after he queued for his ticket despite paying out £3,000 18 months ago.
He said: "They've had long enough to plan it, I think it is appalling. I run a company of 500 people and I would not treat them like this."
Mr Wright was one of many Club Wembley members who have applied for the right to buy a season ticket every year for the next 10 years.
A Wembley spokeswoman said there had been "teething problems" with issuing tickets for today's game to Club Wembley members and she apologised to the fans.
But she added that today's match was not a "core" event for Club Wembley and was merely a test to bring in 60,000 fans to the new stadium ahead of it being granted a safety licence.
Teams:
England: Lee Camp, Liam Rosenior (Justin Hoyte 57), Leighton Baines, Nigel Reo-Coker (c), Anton Ferdinand, Gary Cahill, David Bentley (Ashley Young 87), Leroy Lita, Kieran Richardson (Tom Huddlestone 79), Gabriel Agbonlahor (Matt Derbyshire 46), Wayne Routledge (James Milner 57)
Subs Not Used: Ben Alnwick, Liam Ridgewell, Lee Cattermole, Cameron Jerome, Joe Hart
--------------------------------------------------------
Italy: Gianluca Curci, Marco Andreolli, Giorgio Chiellini (c) (Domenico Criscito 62), Antonio Nocerino (Andrea Lazzari 62), Andrea Mantovani (Andrea Coda 62), Alessandro Potenza (Andrea Raggi 46), Riccardo Montolivo, Guiseppe Rossi (Arturo Lupoli 62), Gianpaolo Pazzini (Graziano Pelle 79), Alessandro Rosina, Simone Padoin (Raffaele De Martino 45)
Subs Not Used: Emiliano Viviano, Daniele Dessena, Gabriele Paonessa
UNDER 21 GAME
ENGLAND 3-3 ITALY
Fans can take in the huge arch that spans the arena as they stroll up Wembley Way from the underground station
--------------------
The impressive looking stadium starts to fill up well before kick-off with fans eager to savour the atmosphere
-------------------
Those lucky enough to have a car park pass must pass through stringent security checks before leaving their vehicles
----------------------
A footbridge named after the famous White Horse from the 1923 FA Cup final provides another route to the stadium
---------------------
Inside the stadium, the England Under 21 side is introduced to the two-thirds full stadium ahead of the 1230 GMT kick-off
----------------------
It is the first time the Under-21 side will appear at Wembley as the previous incarnation was solely for first-team action
-----------------------
An incredible start ot the game sees Gianpaolo Pazzini stun the fans by scoring the first goal after just 29 seconds
----------------------
Commit the name Gianpaolo Pazzini to memory as the Italian is sure to become a pub quiz queston certainty in the future
-----------------------
David Bentley is the England name to remember as the Blackburn midfielder curls in a free-kick to level
-----------------------
Fulham's Wayne Routledge puts England in front after half time, smashing in Matt Derbyshire's cross from an acute angle
-----------------------
Pazzini levels almost immediately for Italy but Derbyshire restores England's lead from close range five minutes later
-----------------------
However, Pazzini ensures his name will not be easily forgotten when he completes the new Wembley's first hat-trick in only the stadium's first professional game
dailymail.co.uk
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