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Tuesday, June 27, 2006Nesta doubtful for Ukraine quarter-final Italy's central defender Alessandro Nesta is unlikely to be fit in time to face the Ukraine in Friday's World Cup quarter-final in Hamburg due to his recurrent groin injury. "It will be very difficult to have him ready," Italy team doctor Enrico Castellacci told reporters at Italy's training camp on Tuesday. Nesta's replacement Marco Materazzi was sent off in Monday's 1-0 second round win against Australia and is suspended for the Ukraine match.That means Palermo's Andrea Barzagli, a second-half substitute against Australia, will come in at centre-back to play alongside Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro. Should either Cannavaro or Barzagli get injured, Italy have no cover in that position and would probably be forced to employ midfielder Gennaro Gattuso or right-back Gianluca Zambrotta as an emergency centre-half. 
Italy 1-0 Australia Francesco Totti came off the bench to score an injury-time penalty and put 10-man Italy into the quarter-finals. With the clock ticking down, Fabio Grosso marauded down the left flank and worked his way into the box before falling over Lucas Neill's prone body. Totti kept his nerve to convert with the last kick of the game, breaking Australian hearts in Kaiserslautern. Luca Toni had earlier missed Italy's best chances, before Marco Materazzi's red card for a foul on Marco Bresciano. The former Everton defender's dismissal, which was harsh to say the least, altered what had been an open game up until then, as both sides seemed to settle for keeping it tight. The Socceroos, who had escaped on numerous occasions when Italy's strikers should have done better earlier in the game, failed to make the most of their one-man advantage despite a wealth of possession. Tim Cahill, with a header, and Bresciano, with a long-range stinger, came close to snatching what had appeared to be an unlikely win before the game late on. But, in truth, Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon was largely untested and Guus Hiddink's side paid the price in the third minute of stoppage time when Totti, surprisingly left out in favour Alessandro del Piero, bagged his first goal of the competition. It was reward for another superb defensive display from Marcelo Lippi's side, even if their attacking efforts left a lot to be desired. Toni in particular was the most guilty in a profligate Azzurri attack, though he was unfortunate not to have done better with a header that went just wide early on and a later turn and shot that Mark Schwarzer stopped with his feet. Other chances went begging for Italy, as Alberto Gilardino also failed to make the most of some decent openings without Schwarzer having to make another decent save. But, after Materazzi's harsh dismissal, it was Australia who dominated possession and the shame for them was that they could only produce neat and tidy football, which was ultimately toothless without the injured Harry Kewell. Scott Chipperfield, on his 50th international appearance, wasted their two best chances - twice firing straight at Buffon when well placed in the area. And he and Australia were left to rue their lack of ambition at the death, as Totti stepped up to go some way to redeeming himself after a lacklustre tournament so far and stretch Italy's current run to 22 matches unbeaten. The Azzurri will now play Ukraine after Oleg Blokhin's side defeated Switzerland on penalties in Cologne.
Saturday, June 24, 2006Czech Republic 0-2 Italy Italy won convincingly to finish top of Group E and eliminate the Czech Republic from the World Cup. Substitute Marco Materazzi scored the opening goal with a powerful header from Francesco Totti's corner. The Czech's hopes of progress effectively ended when Jan Polak was sent off for a second bookable offence in first-half stoppage time. And Filippo Inzaghi killed the game off near the end when he broke from almost halfway to round Petr Cech and score. The Czech Republic had started the tournament in superb form by beating the USA 3-0, but their fortunes changed when Jan Koller went off with a hamstring injury near the end of that game. Devoid of a focal point in attack, they were convincingly beaten in their next game by Ghana and failed to produce their best form against Italy. The Italians were not hugely impressive, but did enough to win and set up a seemingly straightforward passage to the semi-finals. They will face Australia in the second round and, if they win that, probably the Ukraine or Switzerland in the quarter-finals. Skipper Pavel Nedved was inevitably prominent for the Czech Republic in the opening stages. Milan Baros was put through by a delicious curling pass from Nedved after nine minutes, but the Aston Villa striker's touch was heavy and Gianluigi Buffon smothered. Minutes later, Nedved tested his Juventus team-mate Buffon with two searing drives from the edge of the area. Francesco Totti was at the heart of many of Italy's attacks, but his side lacked fluidity in the early stages. Their first goal came from the unlikely source of Materazzi, who had come on in place of the injured Alessandro Nesta after 26 minutes. Totti delivered an inswinging corner from the right and the Inter Milan defender rose above Jan Polak to power in a header from nine yards out. The goal knocked the Czech Republic's confidence. Their early exuberance petered out and Baros began to look isolated in attack. And their predicament became even worse when Polak was shown a red card after two minutes of first-half stoppage time. The defender, who had earlier been booked for a crude challenge on Mauro Camoranesi, brought down Totti from behind and was given a second yellow. Totti made the most of the tackle by rolling around theatrically, but the referee had little option but to send Polak off. Czech coach Karel Bruckner brought on skilful winger Jiri Stajner in place of veteran Karel Poborsky at the interval and his side pushed forward in search of goals. The talismanic Nedved surged forward from midfield to find himself one-on-one with Buffon after only a few minutes. His shot was blistering, but too close to the keeper, who parried. The increasing adventurousness - and numerical disadvantage - of the Czech Republic inevitably left space for Italy. Inzaghi, who came on for Alberto Gilardino after 61 minutes, wastefully put a header wide after a jinking run from Andrea Pirlo. But he made no mistake three minutes from the end when he evaded the offside trap to advance unhindered from the halfway line and round Cech to score.
Saturday, June 17, 2006Lippi wary of winless USA threat Italy coach Marcello Lippi insists he is not underestimating the USA despite seeing them soundly beaten by the Czech Republic in their opening match. "I was expecting a closer match because the USA have made giant strides in the last five years," Lippi said. "They reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup four years ago and came here full of confidence. If we hadn't defeated Ghana then it would be very, very difficult against the USA. Now it is just difficult." Italy are unbeaten in their last 19 matches and have never lost to the USA, beating them five times and drawing twice. Midfielder Andrea Pirlo does not intend on changing those statistics in Kaiserslautern and is remaining wary of Bruce Arena's men. "We won't be underestimating the United States because they have to win against us or they're out," said Pirlo. "They were well beaten by the Czechs in their first match, but that will only make them more determined to get the three points."
Friday, June 16, 2006Italy 2-0 Ghana Italy got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start with a deserved victory over Ghana in Hanover. Andrea Pirlo opened the scoring with a rasping long-range drive in the first half and substitute Vincenzo Iaquinta extended the advantage near the end. World Cup debutants Ghana played their part in an entertaining match and defender Emmanuel Pappoe wasted their best chance before the interval. But Italy, prompted by the superb Pirlo, were more clinical throughout. Luca Toni, the winner of last season's Golden Boot after scoring 31 goals for Fiorentina, led the line well for them and could potentially be a star of the tournament. After 27 minutes he almost scored with a superb piece of individual skill. The 29-year-old controlled an Alberto Gilardino flick-on before unleashing a venomous volley that thumped the crossbar and bounced down in front of the line. Ghana, prompted by their confident captain Stephen Appiah, also threatened. Pappoe wasted a great chance when he blazed over from 14 yards after finding himself unmarked inside the area. Pirlo punished this profligacy by giving Italy the lead after 40 minutes. The AC Milan midfielder, who pulls the strings for Italy with his clever movement and perceptive passing, scored from 35 yards out after being picked out by Francesco Totti from a left-sided corner. Ghana were the better side after the interval as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser. But the Italians, marshalled by captain Fabio Cannavaro in central defence, held firm and threatened on the counter-attack. Simone Perotta was played in by Daniele Di Rossi after 67 minutes but shot too close to Richard Kingston. Substitute Iaquinta put the result beyond doubt when he scored seven minutes from the end. Pirlo was again the instigator, intercepting a pass deep inside his own half before playing the ball forward. Samuel Kuffour underhit a backpass and Udinese's Iaquinta capitalised to round the keeper before sliding the ball into an empty net.
Friday, June 09, 2006 Italy against the first timers... With the support of thousands of Italians living and working on German soil, Italy will be looking for a good start against FIFA World Cup™ debutants Ghana in the second game in Group E on 12 June, which kicks off at 21:00 CET at the FIFA World Cup Stadium Hanover. The backbone of Marcello Lippi's Italy's side is the same as the one that so impressed in qualifying, with rising stars like Alberto Gilardino and Daniele De Rossi playing alongside the experienced Gianluigi Buffon, Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro. Luca Toni, a goal machine in Serie A this season, will bear the brunt of the Azzurri's striking responsibility until Roma idol Francesco Totti returns to full match fitness. Daniele De Rossi will face a serious test of his credentials against Michael Essien. The young Italy midfielder, deputising for the injured Gennaro Gattuso, is a hard-working figure in the centre, who is not short of vision in the final third. He will not have it easy against talented Chelsea midfielder Essien, who complements his incredible energy levels with an eye for goal, three vital strikes in qualifying underlining his importance to the Ghanaian cause.
Thursday, June 08, 2006 Squad1 BUFFON Gianluigi (GK) 2 ZACCARDO Cristian 3 GROSSO Fabio 4 DE ROSSI Daniele 5 CANNAVARO Fabio 6 BARZAGLI Andrea 7 DEL PIERO Alessandro 8 GATTUSO Gennaro 9 TONI Luca 10 TOTTI Francesco 11 GILARDINO Alberto 12 PERUZZI Angelo (GK) 13 NESTA Alessandro 14 AMELIA Marco (GK) 15 IAQUINTA Vincenzo 16 CAMORANESI Mauro 17 BARONE Simone 18 INZAGHI Filippo 19 ZAMBROTTA Gianluca 20 PERROTTA Simone 21 PIRLO Andrea 22 ODDO Massimo 23 MATERAZZI Marco
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