Gli Azzurri will take on Jurgen Klinsmann’s side in a friendly match, the Azzurri will be looking to build momentum for Euro 2012.
Italy will face USA in an international friendly at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Wednesday, 29 February at 19:45 GMT.
Gli Azzurri played their last international match against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Panama-c2978 1-0 in their previous outing.
Italy
Italy had a wonderful Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, remaining unbeaten throughout the competition. Since Cesare Prandelli has taken over as the manager of Gli Azzurri, they have witnessed only three defeats.
Surprisingly, all three losses have come in the friendly games. The rationale behind this can be found in the fact that Prandelli has tried to field new players in friendly games.
The Nazionale have not lost to USA in their last three head to head meetings, winning the last two of them and drawing the other.
USA
The American side has been in impressive of form of late, winning three games on the trot. They have also been able to keep two clean sheets in these games.
A statistic which does not go in favour of Jurgen Klinsmann’s side is that the Team USA has never beaten Italy. Of the ten matches played between the two sides, the Yanks have lost seven and drawn only three
games.
Team News
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Italy-c2926
The Italian mastermind has a lot of injury concerns coming into the match. The most significant of the casualties is the absence of his preferred strike partnership. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Giuseppe-Rossi-c15027 is recovering from a knee
injury, while http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Antonio-Cassano-c6302 is recovering from a heart surgery.
Besides the injuries, Prandelli has also ruled out the selection of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sebastian-Giovinco-c32724 and Alessandro Matri
complete the striker’s list for the Blues.
Italy are well endowed in their defence and midfield department, with Juventus duo, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Andrea-Barzagli-c5669 likely to form partnership in the centre of defence. Andrea Pirlo will anchor the
midfield for the host’s.
Probable starting line-up: Buffon, Barzagli, Chiellini, Bonucci, Maggio, De Rossi, Nocerino, Marchisio, Pirlo, Borini, Matri
USA
Jurgen Klinsmann has few selection headaches of his own, given that Timmy Chandler, Jose Torres and Landon Donovan are out of contention for the friendly match. As a replacement, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Brek-Shea-c8033 is likely to partner
Clint Dempsey in the attack. In midfield, the former German attacker has gone with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sacha-Kljestan-c32070.
Probable starting eleven: Howard, Bocanegra, Cherundolo, Goodson, Williams, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Edu-c12016, Kljestan, Bradley, Dempsey, Shea.
Players to watch:
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alessandro-Matri-c4733 (Italy)
The Juventus forward has been in sparkling form of late, and will be hoping to make his mark on the international front to cement his place in the final Euro 2012 squad. The centre-forward comes into this
game boosted with confidence after scoring an important equaliser for the Old Lady against A.C Milan.
Clint Dempsey (USA)
The Fulham playmaker is an extremely reliable player, the American team will be looking at their established striker to give them the potency they require on the international front.
Prediction:
Prandelli will be chopping and changing his squad to see what every individual is made off. The players are hungry for selection in the Euro 2012, and they will be raring to make an impression.
Verdict: 2-0
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