Azzurri: Lippi takes old guard to Dublin

Marcello Lippi has named his squad for the final World Cup qualifiers against Ireland and Cyprus.

The Azzurri need only one point to be sure of a place in the South African competition next summer.

They travel to Dublin for Saturday evening's crunch match against Giovanni Trapattoni's Republic of Ireland at Croke Park.

Italy then welcome Cyprus to Parma's Stadio Tardini on the evening of Wednesday October 14.

Fabio Cannavaro is suspended for the Ireland fixture, so he will only join in training from next Sunday at the Coverciano ground.

Gennaro Gattuso returns from an injury lay-off, while Fiorentina's Alessandro Gamberini and Salvatore Bocchetti of Genoa are also present.

Inter full-back Davide Santon keeps his place despite the lack of playing time at San Siro.


Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Marchetti (Cagliari);

Defenders: Bocchetti (Genoa), Cannavaro (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Gamberini (Fiorentina), Grosso (Juventus), Legrottaglie (Juventus), Santon (Inter), Zambrotta (Milan);

Midfielders: Camoranesi (Juventus), D'Agostino (Udinese), De Rossi (Roma), Gattuso (Milan), Marchisio (Juventus), Palombo (Sampdoria), Pepe (Udinese), Pirlo (Milan);

Forwards: Di Natale (Udinese), Gilardino (Fiorentina), Iaquinta (Juventus), Quagliarella (Napoli), Rossi (Villarreal).

No real shocks here. With Cannavaro out he lets Bocchetti step up, he is a really good young defender, I think he will certainly be an Italy regular one day.

I can't see Lippi changing the team much from the Bulgaria game, probably just Gamberini or Legrottaglie for Cannavaro.

Marchisio has had to pull out with injury, now Juve have to decide whether to send him for surgery or not, nightmare, just gets worse.

Ireland have had three players pull out of their squad - Darron Gibson, Steven Reid, and Damien Duff.

Just about to kick off.

Italy need a point to ensure 1st place and qualification, but can actually afford to lose as long as they beat Cyprus at home in the last game.

Ireland I believe can guarentee a play-off place with a point, and are still loosely in the running for 1st place with a win and Cyprus taking anything from Italy.

Ray Houghton just said 'we all know Zambrotta is great going forward but how good is he defensively?'

lets just say he is better defensively than ray houghton is orally
he winds me up on taalksport on a regular basis

Whelan scores a stunner from 30 yards, went straight into the top corner, just one of those you can do nothing about.

Was actually a crap pass back from Lawrence but he pinged it.

Ireland 1-0 Italy

Actually looking at the replay from behind Buffon couldn't even see it because the wall covered the shot.

Ireland are cheering every cleared ball like a goal, it's brilliant.

Cyprus 4-1 Bulgaria (), so Ireland are assured of at least a playoff place.

Looking at this so far looks like one team wants it a lot more than the other, looks like the long route for Italy as usual.

Must be one of the greatest wins in Cypriot history, there.

theres a fair few of them to be fair, i dont mind houghton too much. the limit is goughy saying "why should anyone have anything against MK dons, im maybe getting a box there"

surprised to see that score so far, but I did hear earlier that ireland would be well up for this match and hoping to replicated history or something or other.

Certainly, they have done brilliantly in recent years with both the international team and club scene, for a population of 500,000 or so Greek Cypriots.

Italy with chances, missed

Gol, Camoranesi

Header from a Pirlo corner, Given gets a hand but goes in the net with it.

Ireland 1-1 Italy

Ireland have threat up front (hopefully they keep Besty on the bench as well), but in defence Italy can really get at them. Average for this level.

Another classic from Ray Houghton earlier, Italy's defenders don't like the physical battle (ie from Doyle who is being marked by Chiellini)

Getting a bit scrappier, but at least a proper contest. Think that goal from Whelan knocked Italy back for a bit, out of nothing.

since this

http://hellenicnationalist.blogspot.com/20...eurovision.html

Ireland look more nervous now, getting very respectful and letting Italy have a lot of the ball.

Camoranesi is just a magician at times with his passing technique.

Sounds like an alright match, should have stayed in the sports bar with those two Irish fellas who were going to watch it.

Italy are taking the piss a little bit with the passing, but Ireland are getting joy down their right wing as expected maybe with Grosso the weakest defensively.

HT: 1-1.

Ireland started brightly without a real threat and then scored a great strike from Whelan from nowhere really. Italy looked shaken for about 10 minutes and risked conceding a second but then got well into the game, missed a couple of half chances and then from a resulting corner Camoranesi found space for a free header. After that it there was a lot of Italy possession and a lot of joy down the flanks, particularly Kilbane's left (he looks a clear weak point to me) but no real chances and Ireland have looked quite threatening with McGeady coming inside off the left and Doyle charging onto balls down the line on the right for them.

It's like Italy pass the ball around for a minute and try to get an intricate opening, Ireland just get the ball down the line and win a corner, tricky sort of match.

Ireland have a dangerous freekick, probably think they are going to score all of them now.

Blocked and then the rebound over this time.

Ireland threatening around the area again, great noise from the crowd. I'm watching on Italian channel and they are very appreciative of the crowd.

Iaquinta crosses with Given out but cleared over frrom a certain tap in.

It ended with a chance but Buffon saved easily.

Pirlo and Grosso seem to have a telepathic understanding on those long balls, it's bizarre.

Looks like Best will come on for Doyle, Besty is a real handful, so strong.

De Rossi on McGeady, very light shirt pull after he seemed to already be fouled by Camo, more like a team foul.

Ireland getting balls in the box now.

Camoranesi leaves what seems to be a great diagonal cross from Palombo

Rowlands on for Whelan now.

Gilardino coming on now.

Best and Chiellini, enjoying this battle a lot for various reasons

Gilardino for Di Natale

Bocchetti for Grosso That can only be an injury, FFS.

About 10 left here I reckon.

Stephen Hunt on for McGeady, which is popular.

Best, dives in on De Rossi, silly forwards tackle. Whelan was boked earlier so only three yellows so far in a tough but fair game.

Bit of a dive there from Camo, not much contact.

Pirlo's freekick misses everyone!

The crowd are uging Ireland on for a final push, Zambrotta blocks off Hunt. Good position for Ireland.

St Ledger scores from the freekick, FFS!

It was a brilliant ball in from Hunt, impossible to defend.

Looks like Italy are going to have to wait until the next round to get it done.

Ireland 2-1 Italy

whats the score?