FIFA World Cup 2010: Italy vs. Paraguay
Defending Champions Italy are ready to start their title defence when they face Paraguay in a few moments. Under their World Cup winner coach Marcelo Lippi, the World Champions will face a tough test when they face South Americans in Cape Town to initiate their African journey in South Africa 2010.
Lippi would be relying on the experience and youth of his team to pay dividends in the opener. With New Zealand and Slovakia as the other teams in the group, it will be their game against Paraguay which will test their mettle. Italy does not have the favourites tag due to their recent poor run in the qualifying rounds. They have lost to Mexico and only managed to draw with Switzerland just before the start of the World Cup.
However, there was a morale booster performance in their most recent match on Friday against local team Guateng All Stars in which they thumped them with a 6-0 defeat. Lippi has made his choice of starting eleven loud and clear as well. Lippi will be employing a 4-3-3 formation in their first match which will comprise Captain Fabio Cannavaro leading the defence. Partnering Cannavaro will be Inter Milan’s Giorgio Chiellini. Flanking on both sides of defence will be Zambrotta and Domenico Criscito on right and left respectively. In the midfield, first choice Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi will miss the match with injuries. Thus, the responsibility will be on shoulders of old guard Gennaro Gattuso. Alongside Gattuso will be Riccardo Montolivo and Claudio Marchisio. Iaquinta, Pepe and Gilardino will be threesome attack for Italy.
Lippi has brushed aside concerns regarding age and form of his team. Talking to media, he said, “We have got old players but age doesn’t mean broken down, it means experience, charisma. We are used to matches at high level; we have the right mix with our young players”. On the other hand, it will be the last World Cup for Captain Fabio Cannavaro and he would be hoping of nothing less than another World Cup glory. He is the nucleus of Italian defence and Lippi will be relying on him to steer his team to victory. “Defence is vital, but that doesn’t mean that we will stay in our half of the pitch,” said the veteran defender. He further added, “It means being compact. We will never play an attacking game like Brazil, Portugal or Spain but they will be able to defend like us”.
Lippi wants to capitalize on the rich experience of his players. With a great winning culture of Italian football embedded in the team, Italy can seriously create obstacles for other teams in their quest of the biggest gold in football. But on the other hand, they lack the star power of Brazil, Spain or Portugal. Most of Italian players have played in Italian clubs, which has resulted in limited exposure at the international football.
Meanwhile, Paraguay is hoping to carry its qualifying from to the World Cup in South Africa. Paraguay has had a great run in their qualifying round as they defeated both Brazil and Argentina with ease. Reaching their fourth consecutive World Cup, they are far from being labelled as minnows. Under Argentinean coach Gerardo Martino, a new crop of young and talented players have emerged. The line-up includes players like of Borussia Dortmund’s Nelson Haedo Valdez, Roque Santa Cruz of Manchester City and Oscar Cardozo of Benfica. This trio will make up Paraguay’s attack. On the other hand, goalkeeper Justo Villar will lead the defence. Coach Martino is confident that his side has enough quality to not only break World Champion’s solid defence but they can also defeat them.
He said, “Now there is so much variety in the attack of Paraguay, who has never had this amount. In the past it has been attacking, but not like now. This is a team that is more complete than Paraguay teams of the past. Hopefully we can make it the best World Cup for Paraguay”.
No one can deny the attacking credentials of Paraguay along with the potency of the Italian defence. But it will be the tactics of respective managers and on-field performances of the players that will determine the fate of this fixture.
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