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Three points from a determined and obdurate Italy, whose quality in the big moments was plain to see yet again. Pirlo was superb throughout – the highlight being a sublime dummy to set up Marchisio’s bullet in the first half.
England shoult be proud of the performance, if not the result. There was no question that in trying and oppressive conditions, the Three Lions ran themselves into the ground.
Sterling was willing throughout, as was Sturridge. Again, Wayne Rooney can rue a minimal contribution, although he fluffed a golden chance near the end to equalize.
Given this morning’s surprise result with Costa Rica beating Uruguay, the game between England and Uruguay takes on greater importance. Zero points each, Gerrard v Suarez. Italy to face Costa Rica in a battle that could seal their knockout place.
Final score: England 1 – 2 Italy
England head to the Amazon to play their first game against four-time champions Italy. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7.30am AEST.
Both teams have been largely dismissed as irrelevancies in a World Cup where other teams have been rated higher.
But whereas England are unaccustomed to such lack of hype, the Italians have made it their trademark to overcome these perceptions.
Much of England’s low-key approach revolves around their pragmatic boss Roy Hodgson, coupled with a star-studded squad that has become notorious for failing in the Three Lions shirt.
The positive for Hodgson revolves around the squad he has picked – young, dynamic, and unscarred from previous campaigns. While the focus of England’s fortunes may still be on stars like Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, it is the fresh-faced youths who may set England on a more positive course.
Italy meanwhile find themselves at a crossroads. Beaten handsomely by Spain in Euro 2012, the Azzurri failed to advance past their group in the 2010 World Cup, which makes its unlikely they are set for two consecutive straight knockouts. Couple that with the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli tasting World Cup glory in 2006, and the bulk of their squad having day jobs at Italy’s best clubs.
Reasons to doubt are also evident with Italy. The prestige of the Serie A has regressed immeasurably, which is signaled by their recent poor performances in the UEFA Champions League. But history has shown that Italy grow for the occasion, so unlike their opponents.
Azzurri boss Cesare Prandelli will have a pretty simple decision to make on whether he chooses to go with the temperamentally talented Mario Balotelli as a lone striker, or chooses the veteran Antonio Cassano to partner him in utilising the counterattacking ability Italy are famous for. That decision may decide Italy’s formation in midfield, where Andrea Pirlo will be nested deep to pull the strings, while Daniele De Rossi and Thiago Motta likely to push Italy forward to pressure an experienced English defence.
England’s selection puzzle remains far more complicated. Hodgson has duly picked the spine of the Liverpool team that shook the Premier League with an array of attacking performances. Attempting to replicate such tactics against a team famous for their counterattack could be terminal to England’s hopes.
The likelihood is Hodgson will employ Daniel Sturridge as the lone striker with Rooney to play off him as a faux number 10. Gerrard will play Pirlo’s role for England, and it is likely that the young trio of Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana will occupy the midfield.
The final factor is humidity, which should favour the Italians more in what is likely to be grinding affair. A better tactic for Hodgson may be to start either Jack Wilshere or Ross Barkley instead of the sprightly Sterling to outrun Italy’s midfield, then unleash Sterling in the last throes for a result.
Expect a tight affair that Italy should edge, but if England play it right, they may surprise everyone – even themselves.
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