World Cup 2014: Italy vs Uruguay
Italy will face formidable Uruguay in a do-or-die encounter tonight in either team's last group fixture. While Uruguay needs a win to advance, Italy just need to fight for a draw, at the very least.
Uruguay are full of momentum after beating England, while Italy are struggling to recover after a loss to Costa Rica.
Costa Rica has already advanced from Group D with six points from two games. Italy and Uruguay have three points each. England has already been kicked out of the tournament with zero points.
Two teams in completely different states — both mentally and physically — meet tonight and only one of them will advance to the second round of the World Cup.
However, Italy holds the edge in terms of result options due to a better goal difference.
That was why Prandelli put an emphasis on sprinting in training Sunday, instructing his players to rush into the area at full speed before attempting shots on goal.
Prandelli is also tinkering with potential formation and lineup changes. He faces widespread calls to insert Ciro Immobile alongside Mario Balotelli in attack.
Immobile led Serie A with 22 goals — none of them penalties — for Torino before signing with Borussia Dortmund just days before departing for Brazil. But his only appearance so far in this tournament was in the final 17 minutes of the 2-1 win over England.
The match will be played at 1 p.m. Brazil local time (7 p.m. QT), meaning that heat could be an issue again.
With defensive midfielder Daniele De Rossi almost surely ruled out due to an injured calf muscle, Prandelli will probably revert from a four-man defense to the three-man formation employed by three-time Serie A champion Juventus. Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli — who all play for the Turin club — would fill those places.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti is set to return in midfield for Italy and left wing back Mattia De Sciglio is ready to play after missing the opening two matches due to an injured thigh muscle.
Uruguay is a familiar opponent for Italy. The Azzurri beat the South American side in a penalty shootout in the third-place match of last year's Confederations Cup. Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stopped three penalties in the shootout, which followed an entertaining 2-2 draw in which Edinson Cavani scored both goals for Uruguay.
Italy is just as familiar for Uruguay, though.
Wing back Martin Caceres plays for Juventus, midfielder Walter Gargano is with Parma, left back Alvaro Pereira is owned by Inter Milan and Cavani spent seven seasons in Serie A before joining PSG a year ago.
All in all, this match will be a nail-biting affair, but an enjoyable fixture for the neutrals. Fan support will play a major part in boosting team confidence, like we have already seen in the previous matches.
Who do you think will win this fixture?
