By Clemente Lisi - NEW YORK, NY (Jun 12, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Italy and the US last played each other during the first round of the 2006 World Cup, and what resulted was a gritty and hard-fought 1-1 draw. The US was eliminated from the tournament in the opening round. Italy went on to win a fourth World Cup.
Both teams are again prepared to do battle at the Confederations Cup on June 15th in Pretoria, South Africa – and expect it to be a scrappy affair once again.
The Italians are again managed by master tactician Marcello Lippi, the man that led them to the 2006 World Cup title in Germany. Following a sub-par performance at last year's European Championship (where Italy was eliminated in the quarterfinals on penalties) under Roberto Donadoni, Lippi was recalled by the Federation to help reinstate the side's world's dominance.
Since their defeat to Spain, the Italians have steadily made progress -- a seven game undefeated streak, albeit against low-ranking opposition like the recent 3-0 victory over Northern Ireland. The team's difficulty against top-tier competition is still all-too-apparent as a 2-0 friendly defeat this past February to Brazil in London showed. The loss snapped Lippi's 31-game unbeaten streak, the record for the longest undefeated stretch with a national team (in a tie alongside Javier Clemente of Spain and Alfio Basile of Argentina).
With their incredibly tight defense, the US will be in for a tough time against the disciplined Italians, who hold the lowest average of goals conceded in World Cup Qualifying games with just .58 goals a game. In other words, Bob Bradley's offense will have a Herculean task ahead of them.
Lippi favors a 4-4-2 formation (which sometimes changes into a 4-3-3) with the backline featuring Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluca Zambrotta in the center and Fabio Grosso and Giorgio Chiellini on the flanks. Grosso is especially effective on the left side and was one of the team’s standout players at the last World Cup.
In midfield, Lippi must decide which four players to go with. The elegant dead-ball specialist Andrea Pirlo and the ever-feisty Gennaro Gattuso are the bedrocks on which Lippi has organized his team in the past. The other two spots, however, appear up for grabs. Lippi will most likely favor the defensive-minded Danielle DeRossi (who was red carded after elbowing Brian McBride in the nose when the two sides last met) and the budding Riccardo Montolivo, a product of the U-21 team who is viewed as Pirlo’s protégé.
On attack, there is an abundance of talent, although Lippi has yet to figure out which combination will work best. Luca Toni as the target man and New Jersey-born Giuseppe Rossi as the set-up player could be an interesting – and lethal – offensive option. Toni adds aerial prowess, while Rossi is an excellent dribbler and shooter. Striker Alberto Gilardino is another player worthy of starting, especially since AC Milan goal poacher Filippo Inzaghi was not called up to the squad for the Confederations Cup.
Playmaker Alessandro Del Piero was also left off the team and Francesco Totti retired from international play following the World Cup. The only option that has worked here is the use of Fabio Quagliarella, a player who combines finesse passing with speed – an asset when it comes to the team’s counterattack and ability to create goals against the run of play.
Expect Italy to give the US a hard game. This star-studded team is hard to defeat, especially with Lippi motivating them from the sidelines, and the Italians remain one of the favorites to win the Confederations Cup. Don’t expect the Italians to be pushovers. Any result the Americans can get – even a tie – will have been well earned.
Clemente Lisi is the author of “A History of the World Cup: 1930-2006.” Contact him at: CAL4477@yahoo.com
