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Kick-off 15:00 (BST)
Fans will be looking forward to a tense pair of matches featuring Italy, Czech Republic, Ghana and the USA.
Italy and the Czechs meeting in Hamburg this afternoon in what is the pick of the two ties. Both teams enter the match on the back of disappointing results in their previous games. Italy failed to make an extra man count against the USA in Kaiserslauten last weekend in the 1-1 draw, while the injury ravaged Czechs were comprehensively out-played by Ghana in Cologne on the same day.
Italy will be certain of qualification if they avoid defeat this afternoon, and if Ghana fail to beat the USA in the other match then the Italians could progress regardless of their result today. The meeting today will be the thirtieth between the two sides, though the vast majority of the games took place before the Czech/Slovak split, when the Czechs competed as Czechoslovakia. The Czechs have a slight edge in historic results, but the results in the six competitive matches are perfectly balanced. Both teams have two victories and two draws. The most famous meeting between the pair was the 1934 World Cup Final in Rome when Italy triumphed 2-1 after extra time.
Suspension worries
Italy coach Marcello Lippi has several suspension worries ahead of this afternoon’s match. Midfielder Daniele de Rossi will definitely miss the game after his disgraceful elbow on USA striker Brian McBride in Kaiserslauten. Compounding this problem is the fact that four players will face suspension from second round if they receive another yellow card today,2014 winter classic jerseys, and Lippi must decide whether or not to risk Mauro Camoranesi,winter classic jerseys 2014, Vicenzo Iaquinta Gianluca Zambrotta and Franceso Totti. If Totti suffers another booking, either tonight or in any prospective later games, he will suffer the dubious honour of becoming the most cautioned player in finals history.
Lippi has much confidence in his team and is hopeful of putting the sluggish performance against the USA aside. He is hoping to have Simone Perrotta available for selection after the midfielder picked up an injury against the USA. The Italian media’s praise for Lippi’s team,Toronto Maple Leafs winter classic jerseys 2014, fulsome after the opening win against Ghana, has cooled significantly in recent days. One of the main topics of debate is a lack of pace and discipline,custom soccer jerseys,soccer jerseys cheap, problems that have beset the ‘Azzurri’ at the last three major tournaments.
“All the praise that the team received for their performance might have cause some kind of easing off for my players,” admitted Lippi, who was unwittingly revealing his own shortcomings as a motivator.
“Italy has traditionally performed badly in the group stages. We are made for the knockout games as our mentality is to give our best when it is a one-off.”
Midfield playmaker Andrea Pirlo of AC Milan, hailed as Italy’s best player at the finals so far, insists that Italy will be going all out for a win this afternoon despite them only needing a draw for qualification.
“We always play to win,” Pirlo said on Wednesday, in what was a complete contradiction of his coach’s comments.
“That’s always been our approach, to walk out onto the field and play a winning game. That’s what we’ll be doing against the Czechs and we are determined to win and finish top of our group.”
Annoying Nedved
Captain Fabio Cannavaro singled out his Juventus team-mate Pavel Nedved as the main danger to his country’,Detroit Red Wings winter classic jerseys 2014;s qualification hopes this afternoon.
“Pavel is an annoying player to play against,” revealed a smiling Cannavaro on Tuesday.
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