By Anna Italia
Covering the 2010 World Cup Qualifier South Africa from an Italian Perspective


                   57% Ball Possession Italy and 43% Ball Possession Cyprus
              Italy qualified to the 2010 World Cup as leader of Group 8 with 24 points
            Italy 3 - 2 Cyprus
                                        78' Alberto Gilardino     12' Yiannis Okkas
                                        81' Alberto Gilardino     49' Michail
                                        90' Alberto Gilardino

   Click here to watch live football ONLINE stream World Cup Qualifier match Italy - Cyprus on Wednesday, October 14, 2009
   
Substitutes: 46' Simone Pepe out, Mauro Camoranesi in        30' Chrisou Paraskevas out, Marinos Satsias in
                      46' Giuseppe Rossi out, Antonio Di Natale in     73' Efstathios Aloneftis out, Michael Constantinou in
                      66' Gaetano D'Agostino out, Daniele De Rossi in

Buy Your Italian Serie A Football / Soccer Tickets Buy your football tickets for the Italian National Team Click here to buy all your Football tickets online Buy your Official Italian National Team Gear including the 2009 FIFA Confederations Home Jersey Click Here to buy Italy Home Soccer Jersey, Italy Away Soccer Jersey, Italy 4 stargoalkeeper jersey, Caps, Italy socks, Italia Soccer Balls, Italy SoccerScarf, Italy World Cup Posters, etc. Jerseys with names of Pirlo,Totti, Gattuso, Toni, Cannavaro, Del Piero, Italy La Quarta Stellavictory, and more. Italy 08/09 Home Soccer Jersey 1936 Italy Retro Tracktop Click here for 2009 - 2010 Juventus Soccer Gear with Subside. Juventus 09/10 DEL PIERO 10 Home Soccer Jersey Buy your Official 2008 - 2009 Napoli Soccer gear,

Here is the situation guys. Italy already qualified for the 2010 World Cup South Africa leading Europe Group 8 with 21 points followed by the Republic of Ireland with 17 points.

 Challenge is to win the last qualifying match with the so-called B team.  Lippi changing the first team to give playing time to those who have not played much.  It's time to win in grand style. Cyprus in the FIFA ranking is in the 76th position with 429 points while Italy is in the 4th position with 1186 points.



Here is the official starting eleven formation for ITALY by coach Marcello Lippi:

Italy: Federico Marchetti, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Gamberini, Salvatore Bocchetti, Davide Santon, Gennaro Gattuso, Simone Pepe, Gaetano D'Agostino, Fabio Quagliarella, Alberto Gilardino and Giuseppe Rossi.

Awesome guys, Gilardino is in the starting line up.  I am watching the match on RAI ITALIA and it looks wonderful seeing our players happy, joking, let's start .....


Here is the official starting eleven formation for CYPRUS by coach Angelos Anastasiadis:

Cyprus:  Sofronis Avgousti, Chrysostomos Michail, Elias Charalambous, Chrisou Paraskevas Konstantinos Charalampidis, Konstantinos Makridis, Efstathios Aloneftis, Andreas Avraam, Ilia Marios, Yiannis Okkas, and Sinisa Dobrasinovic.

It is supposed to be the match for Fiorentina forward Alberto Gilardino the ex Parma player returning to the Ennio Tardini Stadium where his fans will greet him again.  Gilardino played for Parma from 2002 - 2005 making 96 appearances and scoring 50 gols.  Let's see if Gilardino will play the violin in the Tardini to celebrate a gol. Hey, I am ready for that music! 

Forza Italia

Prepare your snacks and join me to follow the match,.

Players in the field while playing the national anthems.  Guys, the stadium is not full maybe because it is weekday and people returning from work. 

L'inno di Mameli guys with the band and I am singing it too .  Wow, Gilardino close up singing, Pepe, Gamberini, Quagliarella, Santon Rossi, Gattuso Marchetti everybody sining.  Wow, so proud of our Azzurri guys, Italian flags waving in the stadium.  You could see the happy faces from our players while singing the anthem.  awesome...  L'Italia chiamoooooooo SI!

Marco Civoli will be the comentator of the match in RAI ITALIA, I am already singing with the fans PO PO PO PO PO.... 

Minute of silence in memory of the victims from Messina. 

Wow, guys, I am so happy to see Cagliari goalkeeper Federico Marchetti playing. You could see his joy when the camera shows close ups.  There are our guys, ready...  let's keep the ball rolling Referee Alon Yefet whistles the beginning of the match ..... it's show time.....

First attempt to score in the 2nd minute is for Cyprus while Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro deviates and is corner for Cyprus.  Oh my gosh guys, Marchetti making a quick jump to anticipate an early gol.  Awesome, bravo....

Come on Italiaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

In the 4th minute, the roaring lion Gattuso stealing a ball making a run to pass to Gilardino and the ball goes straight to the arms of Cyprus goalkeeper.  Great reaction from the Azzurri guys....

Quagliarella is energized too, come on guys

No way, guys, NOOOOOOO in the 11th minute, Cyprus taking the lead!!!!  Incredible, a quick run and defender Fabio Cannavaro not arriving on time to clear the danger when Cyprus midifleder Makritis makes the pass to  Cyprus forward Yiannis Okkas and bam bam bam blasting Italy goalkeeper Federico Marchetti nothing to do for him.    Whistles from the fans for a possible offside but the gol is valid.  
Italy 0 - 1 Cyprus


Photo Getty Images

Guys, Italy Head coach Marcello Lippi giving instructions to the players and motivating them to go forward...

Oh my gush...  In the 18th minuteCyprus so close to score the second gol. A long range pass  to Okkas and Davide Santon in the area to avoid the offiside ...

Quick reaction for the Azzurri while Lippi observes with a concentrated look,  Davide Santon in counterattack, dribbling and making a pass to forward Simone Pepe alone in the center and Pepe missing the target sending the ball over the bar too high.  Fans applauding the good efforts from Santon and so do I!!!!!  Forza Santon!

Warming up Daniele De Rossi and Di Natale.... 

Guys, this is agonizing but Cyprus is not backing down.. they are pressing and the Azzurri somehow giving too much space.  At this point I might say Santon and Gattuso are the best.

Say what, my gosh, in the 27th minute what a terrible foul by  Cyprus forward Sinisa Dobrasinovic on forward Fabio Quagliarella from behind bringing him down..  Quagliarella clearly in pain... .   Free kick for Italy and D'Agostino takes the kick oh my goshhhh guys a left footed shot and  it was so close and almost a gol missing it by 1 meter maybe......... 

Closeup from Lippi giving instructions to Simone Pepe......

U N B E L I E V A B L E, guys, Simone Pepe missing another chance to score in the 29th minute and he is upset with himself.... 


In the 30th minute, guys, a forced substitution for injury.  Cyprus substitutes Chrisou Paraskevas and time for Marinos Satsias.

Close ups from Italy and AC Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo and Juventus defender Fabio Grosso in black suits watching the match from the tribune.

In the 36th minute, first yellow card to Cyprus Marinos Satsias for a bad foul on Fabio Quagliarella and free kick for Italy with D'Agostino again taking the free kick....


Photo Getty Images

In the 43rd minute  corner for Cyprus and guys it is so close to score when Konstantinos Charalampidis from a corner kick provides the assist to Sinisa Dobrasinovic heading the ball and there it is Italy goalkeeper Federico Marchetti aking a save.... oh my gosh.. players motivate each other.. guys, by now Italy should have scored at least 2 gols with Simone Pepe missing both clear chances....

I am waiting for Alberto Gilardino to score and play his violin.... come on Gilaaaaaaaaaaaaa


In the 44th minute Referee Alon Yefet gives a yellow card to Gattuso for a foul on Adreas Avraam and free kick for Cyprus.....

Too bad Giuseppe Rossi has not been able to score in this first half, so much expected from him.....

Guys, Lippi must have a headache because fans in the Tardini are chanting for the name of Sampdoria forward Antonio Cassano.....


Photo Getty Images

So far by we have seen with the nazionale, I think Lippi should call Cassano at least he will be super motivated and might be the added punch needed for the Azzurri. Though, as Lippi says he thinks first in the group not on individual players.

Last attempt from the Azzurri in the 45th minute with Quagliarella missing the target after a right footed shot ending over the bar....

At the end of the first half whistles from the fans in the Ennio Tardini stadium not liking so far the result.  To be honest, I was expecting a different match with more pressing from Italy and obviously with Italy scoring....  time to wake up... it means that not even the "B" team is showing a difference...  Lippi really needs to start delivering a different Italy, more aggressive, something must change in Italy's game guys because it is a constant struggling in every game to score  a goal. Don't you think?

Let's see what happens in the second half.....

Hey, hey, hey, surprise, surprise.. well not that surprise as I have been saying Simone Pepe and Rossi had their chances but not having a good match in the first half.  Lippi starts the second half substituting  Simone Pepe for Mauro Camoranesi, and Antonio Di Natale for Giuseppe Rossi.

Mamma mia, prepare a chamomile tea guys... not Italy shortening the distance but CYPRUS INCREASING THE SCORE!!!! Oh my gosh, guys, in the 49th minute, neither Gamberini nor Bocchetti could clear the danger and Michail blasting Italy goalkeeper Federico Marchetti and celebrating with an airplane......  all Cyprus players gathering to congratulate Michail while there is closeup of Lippi frustrated with this result.
Italy 0 - 2 Cyprus

Photo Getty Images

Warming up Daniele De Rossi and Vincenzo Iaquinta...

Gattusoooo is close to scoreeeee  oh my my my.....  in the 51st minute a combo between Cannavaro and Gattuso..... Gattuso   with a right footed shot  is battling like a gladiator!!!!!!   The shot is cleared.... save....  forza Gattusoooo hey, the roaring lion is back!!!  Youc an tell Gattuso is recovering his best shape.
 
In the 54th minute, Andreas Avraam commits a foul on our defender Alessandro Gamberini and it's a free kick.  Guys, Italy needs to speed up and profit from these freekicks to shorten the distance....   Camoranesi takes the direct free kick...nothing happens as the shot from Quagliarella is cleared,..... I am getting desperate too... so frustrating to see this constant struggling...
 
Come on, guys it is supposed to be a party celebration for Italy after qualifying but up to the 60th minute Cyprus is taking the lead.  I could say that this Italy is in desperate NEED OF A CLEAR STRATEGY... Gattuso is the one showing determination, grinta, but not enough ....   

There is substitution for Italy and time for AS Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi for Gaetano D'Agostino.   Guys, the fans giving a standing ovation to De Rossi... wow... awesome!

Di Natale making a solo run and missing at the end..... fans keep motivating the Azzurri but the gol is just not coming....  Cyprus goalkeeper saves...

Cyprus is dominating the match... just U N B E L I E V A B L E...

Italy now pressing and the fans chanting ITALIA, ITALIA, ITALIA,....

Oh my gosh guys, pressing is all Italy now....

In the 70th minute, I am jumping losing my voice chanting for the Azzurri .. Di Natale  with a right footed shot all alone in front of the goalkeeper and missing the chance to score!!!!!!

In the 73rd minute, it is the Roman gladiator Daniele De Rossiiiii  with a chance to shorten the distane after heading the ball from the center but clear by Cyprus goalkeeper....

Oh no, guys, not possible but poor Quagliarella has suffered so many fouls in this match and now a bad foul in the 76th minute 

Say what???? yes, yes, yes, guys, jump!!!!  In the 78th minute it is the one and only, the much awaited footballer in Parma..the ex Parma player ALBERTO GILARDINOOOOOOOOOOOOO shortening the distance  with the grinta after an assist by Mauro Camoranessi and party time in the Tardini while Gilardino runs to celebrate the gol and Lippi motivating the squad. Now you could hear a big chant for the Azzurri.... come on Italia, we can do it!!!!!  OH gosh, but Gilardino does not celebrate playing the violin as we were expecting.. he just run......
Italy 1 - 2 Cyprus

It's party time, now we are back in business and Italy must keep the pressing... 
 
Photo: Getty Images

Italy and Fiorentina forward Alberto Gilardino battling in the 2010 World Cup qualifier match Italy - Cyprus on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 in the Ennio Tardini Stadium.


Hey, hey, hey... oh my gosh.. it's Gilardino timeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee    po po po po guys in the 81st minute Alberto Gilardino delivers the second gol  with a right footed shot to equalize the score and the giant roaring from the fans in the Tardini!!!!!!!!  Italy is alive thanks to Gilardinooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo po po po po
Italy 2 - 2 Cyprus

 
In the very end, towards hte 90th minute and there you go the winning gol not sure if it is of Fabio Quagliarella or Alberto Gilardino because from the replay shows the ball went in before the final push by Gilardino..... though commentators from RAI ITALIA also not sure about it but giving it to Gilaridno......
Italy 3  - 2 Cyprus


Italy changing the rhythm in 20 minutes and grabbing the final 3 points when they were down by 2 gols.   Best in the match Gattuso, Gilardino, De Rossi and Quagliarella. Love the expression from Gilardino on this photo like saying "Did I really do it?" Yep!!!! 



Photo AP / La Presse
Quagliarella and Gilardino embracing the third goal after the assist from Quagliarella to Gilardino.