Keane denies Italy at the death

The Ireland captain levelled with only three minutes remaining to ensure coach Giovanni Trapattoni did not leave his native country empty-handed as the visitors staged a grandstand finish.

Italy had taken the lead through Vincenzo Iaquinta's 11th-minute strike but the reigning world champions were a man short for 87 minutes following Giampaolo Pazzini's dismissal.

Pazzini, making his first senior start for his country, caught John O'Shea with a flailing arm, which drew blood and the red card from German referee Wolfgang Stark's pocket.

Replays suggested the decision had been harsh, a view certainly shared by the home supporters, who had earlier jeered Lippi for his refusal to select Bari-born Antonio Cassano.

But if Trapattoni sensed an opportunity, his hopes were dashed within eight minutes as the world champions demonstrated their class in devastating style.

The mercurial Andrea Pirlo received the ball from full-back Fabio Grosso and delivered it perfectly back into the defender's path to allow him to drill a cross through the ineffectual Paul McShane.

Iaquinta was unmarked in the middle to dispatch the simplest of chances and any perceived advantage for the visitors had been wrenched from their grasp.

After battling for much of the game, Ireland got their reward with only three minutes left when Caleb Folan's pursuit of Shay Given's clearance caused problems in the box and the ball broke to Keane, who stabbed it past Gianluigi Buffon to snatch a precious point.

Ireland might even have claimed a famous victory in a dramatic finale with Whelan seeing a 90th-minute shot deflected wide with Buffon wrong-footed.