Italy lambasted at home for Faroes performance

MILAN, June 3 (Reuters) - World champions Italy returned home to a chorus of criticism on Sunday after they scraped a 2-1 win against the Faroe Islands in Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier.

Filippo Inzaghi scored twice before carpenter Rogvi Jacoben pulled one back after 77 minutes for the Faroes, ranked 185 in the world, to leave Italy sweating for the last few minutes despite the cold and constant rain.

Italy's win moved them up to second in Group B behind France, who beat Ukraine 2-0.

''Luckily there is Inzaghi,'' said the Gazzetta dello Sport, but coach Roberto Donadoni was unconcerned.

''What counts is the win and the three points,'' he told reporters. ''We had chances to score some more goals and at the end it was difficult.'' Palermo's Aimo Diana, a surprise pick in Italy's midfield who set-up Inzaghi's second, was confident they would play better in Lithuania on Wednesday. Italy have returned home for two days before departing to Kaunas on Tuesday.

''We didn't play very well. Despite the weather conditions we should not have lost our concentration. I think that Italy as world champions must go to Lithuania to win,'' he said.

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