And there’s the final whistle! The defending champions looked tired and devoid of ideas at times. Paraguay took their chance and defended well baring their keeper’s blunder that cost them the goal. That’s the lot today from JOE.ie’s World Cup trackers. We will be back again tomorrow with all the day’s action.
Played out wide and comes to nothing.
Late free for Paraguay…
We’re into injury time here… Italy might have to settle for a point. Paraguay will be chuffed with this one.
Camoranesi is injured, but is refusing to go off. Italy have used all their subs so he’s going to have to suck it up. Looks like a hamstring.
Paraguay are struggling to do anything to take the pressure off.
Free for Italy outsidee the area – Pepe whips it in! Batted away and out for an Italian corner. Pepe drives another one in – last gasp defending again from Paraguay.
Shot from range from Montolivo! Keeper made a meal of it, dived low and got it away. The Italians are putting the hurt on Paraguay.
Only 10 minutes to go here in Cape Town. I made that sound like I was actually in Cape Town.
Striker Oscar Cardozo has come on, but it’s for Albirroja.
Another corner from Pepe – Villar was more convincing this time. Gathers with ease.
Camera just showed a shot of a Parguayan praying. I think he’s praying for those head-wrecking vuvu blowers to give it over for one minute of this jaysus tournament!
Barrios had a good game against Ireland in the RDS. One of the few Paraguayan players who did actually. We’re better than them, is what I’m trying to say.
Cardozo of Benfica looks to be coming on for Lucas Barrios.
The Italians are finding space in the middle of the park. Putting Paraguay under pressure.
Some nice looking mots in the crowd. All of them Italian. I’m never visiting Paraguay.
D Natale is on for Gilardino. That’s Italy’s last throw of the dice there. All out of subs.
Chance for Italy here – Pepe whips one to Gilardino and his marker Da Silva has slipped! Da Silva fights back to his feet and dives in to block Gilardino’s shot.
Camoranesi gets a card. He stamped on his man’s boot! Nasty bit of footwork.
Santa Cruz comes on for Valdez.
Lucas whips one in – it’s on a plate for Santana! Ah he made a balls of it. Sliced it wide.
Corner came in from Italy, De Rossi manages to get a touch after Villar flaps at it. Poor goal-keeping.
Goal Italy!!!!!
Caceres is after picking up a yellow for a sliding tackle on Montolivo.
Those horns are wrecking my head.
Santana is on for Torres.
Cross from deep towards Pepe! Gathered by the Uruguayan stopper.
Camoranesi is on for Marchisio.
Good work from Laquinta down the right-hand side. He gets to the by-line but his cross is met by Marchetti.
Camoranesi is warming up on the touch-line…
Ball breaks at the edge of the Italian box after a rapid Paraguay break. Falls to Vera! His shot fizzes high and wide. Should have hit the target.
Zambrotta whips one to the far post – Pepe throws himself into a bicycle kick! Just flies beyond him. He gets to that and it’s goal of the season.
Paraguay win a corner. A test here for Italy’s new goal keeper Marchetti. Falls to Morel, who smacks it over.
The challenges are flying in from both sides. Ref needs to keep a handle on things.
Alcaraz gets a boot in the head off Gilardino. They grow them tough in Paraguay apparently. He’s grand. Didn’t even hold up the play.
Second half is underway again by the way.
George Hamilton is on form today. ‘Can Italy escape from Alcaraz?’ he says. He spent the entire break thinking that bad boy up.
Liam Brady has an arse chin. Never noticed that before.
Buffon won’t be coming out for the second half! That’s a blow.
We got a match prediction into JOE Towers earlier today from Frank in Mayo:
‘It will be interesting to see if the Italians can do what the Germans did last night and produce a big victory that will scare the “favourites”. I’m expecting big things from Danielle De Rossi in this tournament, he’s a tremendous player. Paraguay are an average side, probably good enough to get out of the group but won’t go any further. 3-0 to Italy I say! Won’t be a classic though.’
Frank, you were dead right about it not being a classic. It’s been a muck game, to be honest. That said, your prediction is looking well ropey. Cheers for the comment anyway mate, keep them coming…
And there’s the half-time whistle. Lippi has it all to do during the break.
That was a real sucker punch for the Italians, and at a tough time. We’re on 45 minutes with one minute extra to play.
Paraguay won a free about 53 yards out. The ball comes in from the right-hand side from Torres. The centre-half Alcaraz rises and heads home. It was against the run of play, but the Paraguayans won’t mind. The game needed that.
Goal Paraguay!!!!
Morel under pressure from Gilardino. The Paraguayan keeps his cool and puts it out for a throw-in.
Valdez does well in the middle of the park – holding off a host of challenges before winning a free.
Italy have won a free in a dangerous spot – to the left-hand side of the box…Marchisio whips it in. Easilly dealt with by Vera and out for a corner. Delivery is poor, but still proves a handfull for Morel who nearly breaks his own back trying to clear it. Danger averted in any case.
Free kick Italy… Villar organises the wall as Pepe steps up – whips it into the box with pace but cleared by the Paraguayan defence.
Vera gets caught napping at the back and the ball is nicked off him by Montolivo! He only has the keeper to beat! Ah that’s brutal. Tame, tame shot straight at the keeper.
Paraguay get their first corner – De Rossi wins it but it bounces around and out for another corner. Gilardino away.
If Paraguay don’t get their act together there might be a few more getting gunned down on their holliers.
Laquinta goes down in the box! Penalty? Ref has a look but the official on the right has his flag up for off-side. Paraguay breath again.
I may have been mistaken, but I think the commentator just said that there are hailstones coming down in Cape Town. Is he messing? Hailstones in Africa?
It’s been pretty much all Italy in the opening stages. Paraguay need to get a grip on this game or they are going to go one down.
Shock of shocks, he’s up and about with no harm done.
De Rossi got body-checked on the edge of the area when trying to make it too a Pepe cross. He’s down and screaming like a little bitch.
Criscito works his way down the left and swings one in – Morel nips in and and puts it out for a throw.
Italy with the first corner of the game – Pepe whips it in, but easily dealt with by the Paraguayan defence.
This ball is really moving on that wet surface. Slightly mis-angled passes have zipped straight to both keepers already.
It’s lashing rain in Cape Town by the way. If I flew all the way to Africa and got pissed on I would be demanding my money back. And we’re off!
The teams are on the park and we’re a kick in the arse away from the whistle. The champs are about to do their thing!
A lot of people reckon an upset might be on the cards. Not sure about that one. Italy are unbeaten in their last nine World Cup matches against South American teams. The Azzuri have had their problems, but like Germany, they have a habit of drastically stepping up their game.
No place in the Paraguay starting line-up for Salvador Cabanas. He was shot in the head back in January while out for a few jars in Mexico City. Get well soon Salvador!
Paraguay: Villar, Morel, da Silva, Verón, Bonet, Vera, Santana, Riveros, Torres, Barrios, Valdez.
Not long to go now, and the teams are in. Italy: G. Buffon, C. Maggio, F. Cannavaro, G. Chiellini, G. Zambrotta, R. Montolivo, D. De Rossi, S. Pepe, C. Marchisio, V. Iaquinta, A. Gilardino.
