Soccer Advice Tips

World champions Italy suffered an embarrassing exit at the first hurdle thanks to Slovakia's pulsating 3-2 World Cup Group F victory at Ellis Park.

Robert Vittek struck either side of the break before Antonio Di Natale's goal gave Italy hope. Kamil Kopunek made the game safe for Slovakia in the 89th minute before a further consolation from Fabio Quagliarella.

The 2006 winners knew that a win would definitely see them to progress to the next round, while a draw may have been enough as well. Slovakia needed nothing less than a win, and would need to do so by a couple of goals if New Zealand beat Paraguay.

Italy made two changes as expected, bringing in Gennaro Gattuso and Di Natale for Claudio Marchisio and Alberto Gilardino. Slovakia made twice as many changes, with Radoslav Zabavnik, Juraj Kucka, Miroslav Stoch and Erik Jendrisek replacing Kornel Salata, Jan Kozak, Stanislav Sestak and Vladimir Weiss after the defeat to Paraguay.

One of the new starters, Di Natale, was clearly looking to make an immediate impact as he attempted a speculative lob from distance inside the first 20 seconds, but it failed to trouble Jan Mucha in the Slovakia goal.

There was a glorious opportunity for Marek Hamsik to give Slovakia the lead in the sixth minute when Robert Vittek flicked the ball backwards into the Napoli star’s path, but he scuffed his left foot volleyed attempt wide of Federico Marchetti’s goal from 12 yards.

It was a rather nervy start to the game, with stakes extremely high for both countries. There was little in the way of creative midfield play in the opening exchanges, as the two sides looked to hassle and harry each other into a crucial early mistake.

The first yellow card was always going to be chalked up reasonably early, and Zdeno Strba was the recipient for a foul on the spinning Gattuso. Moments later Simone Pepe attempted to catch out Mucha from distance, ignoring the back post run of Di Natale in the process, but the 'keeper managed to get down and smother the ball.

As Italy were beginning to get into their stride, Slovakia continued to cause problems with long passes into the channels, with Jendrisek causing Giorgio Chiellini to concede a corner. But when the set piece was delivered from the right, it just cleared Hamsik at the back post.

Martin Skrtel then made a magnificent run through the middle of the Azzurri engine room, before eventually being denied by Gattuso inside the Italy box when he’d just been unable to tee himself up on his left foot.

But Slovakia’s period of pressure came to fruition on 25 minutes when Daniele De Rossi gave away possession too easily in midfield and the ball was quickly fed to Robert Vittek, who slid a perfect right foot shot low to Marchetti’s right to give the eastern Europeans a surprise lead.

The tension in the world champions’ camp was suddenly right on the surface, with several quick concessions of the ball allowing Slovakia to settle over the next few minutes after the delirium of taking the lead. Fabio Cannavaro was cautioned by referee Howard Webb as Italy continued to find only frustration under the now pressing circumstances they found themselves in.

It could so easily have been 2-0 on 35 minutes when Strba unleashed a thunderbolt from over 30 yards which Marchetti had to tip two-handed around the post. After the corner had come to nothing, Italy broke well, but Vincenzo Iaquinta just failed to get on the end of a promising throughball and it was allowed to run harmlessly out of play.

Iaquinta did then connect with a header which could have brought the Azzurri level, but it was deflected just over the bar and the resulting corner was easily dealt with.

Strba received a nasty looking deep gash on the shin when he and Gattuso had a coming together late in the half. Coach Vladimir Weiss was ready to bring on Kamil Kopunek in his place until he was strapped up and courageously made the decision to continue.

There was almost further trouble for Italy when Kucka struck a superb volley just wide of Marchetti’s near post, but Italy held on to a single-goal deficit at the break.

Not for the first time in this tournament, Marcello Lippi needed to make half-time changes in a bid to get his side back into the game. On came Christian Maggio and Fabio Quagliarella for Gattuso and the lively Domenico Criscito.

Despite their poor first half showing, Italy were still only one goal from potential qualification for the last 16, and Pepe’s cross gave Iaquinta half a chance to put them back in second spot, but he could only graze a glancing header wide.

The struggles were continuing in the early stages of the second half, with Slovakia looking more than comfortable until Maggio played a neat ball through to Di Natale, but his scuffed shot on the turn went aimlessly wide.

This prompted a final change for the champions, with the fit-again Andrea Pirlo replacing the ineffective Riccardo Montolivo.

The Slovaks continued to look dangerous on the break, with Italy appearing weak at the back whenever attacked and Kucka and Vittek both had half-chances to double the advantage.

At the other end, a weak shot from 20 yards by Di Natale after Gianluca Zambrotta had done well down the left was about the best the Nazionale could offer.

Slovakia broke again on 65 minutes when Miroslav Stoch latched on to a superb throughball, but Maggio chased back well to cut out the danger and Stoch was penalised for a foul.

Immediately Italy should have been level. Pepe and Pirlo made smart work down the right, and when the ball escaped Mucha, Quagliarella fire in a right foot shot which was superbly blocked by the retreating Skrtel right on the goal line.

Once more Slovakia proved a threat on the break though after that lucky escape, and Stoch cut inside Maggio to send in a shot from 20 yards, but it was always swinging wide of Marchetti’s goal. Giorgio Chiellini then had to be alert to cover the onrushing Hamsik. And after Cannavaro had averted the danger from the first corner, Slovakia struck again.

The second corner was half cleared, but when Hamsik delivered low from the right nobody in blue reacted as quickly as Robert Vittek, who calmly slotted home his second at the near post with Chiellini left in his wake and Marchetti slow to cover his near post.

With just 17 minutes remaining, it was game over for Italy. The players’ faces told the story as they came to terms with an Azzurri exit at the first hurdle for the first time in 36 years.

Slovakia’s supporters were in a buoyant mood by now, and their side continued to cause Italy problems. However, the Azzurri hit back with just nine minutes remaining.

An excellent one-two involving Quagliarella and Iaquinta saw Mucha parry the Napoli man’s shot straight into the path of Antonio Di Natale, who had the easiest of tasks to side-foot home.

The lifeline sparked a momentary melee in the back of the Slovakia net, with Mucha twice striking Quagliarella in the face, though the Italy forward did rather theatrically fall to the floor.

When play eventually restarted there was finally some real urgency in Italy’s play. Di Natale had a shot from 20 yards blocked, before he collected Pepe’s cross to tee up Quagliarella to slot home from 10 yards, but the referee’s assistant’s flag was up. Replays suggested the call was incorrect.

Slovakia then made the game safe after more sloppy defending in the 89th minute. De Rossi failed to track the onrushing Kamil Kopunek from a simple throw-in and the substitute had the easiest of tasks in chipping the advancing Marchetti to confirm Italy’s misery.

The Azzurri struck back again though in the first minute of stoppage time, Fabio Quagliarella firing home from 25 yards out of nothing.

But it wasn’t to be enough as the champions were eliminated, Pepe missing a late chance to save his side.

Spain midfielder David Silva has agreed to join Manchester City, according to sources.

Valencia will get £21million plus Roque Santa Cruz, who had an injury-plagued season at Eastlands - although the Paraguay international has yet to agree his switch to La Liga. If he refuses to go, City will pay a straight £27million.

Silva joins City's millionaires club with an £80,000-a-week salary, though his deal will not be finalised until Spain are knocked out of the World Cup and he completes a medical.

Roberto Mancini's side are also confident of completing an £20m deal for Barcelona's Yaya Toure, brother of central defender Kolo, once the Ivory Coast's tournament is over.

The news that Silva and Valencia have agreed a deal with City will come as a blow to Chelsea's Carlo Ancelotti, who had been hoping to bring the hitman to Stamford Bridge.

A goalless draw with New Zealand was enough to seal Paraguay’s passage to the round-of-16 and while they undoubtedly showed the most endeavour, Gerardo Martino’s side never really got going. It was all a bit flat from the South Americans while Kiwis coach Ricki Herbert was clearly happy for his side to go as long as they can without conceding before taking stock of events elsewhere in the closing moments.

Paraguay knew that a result over the World Cup’s surprise package New Zealand would secure their position as group winners, and the draw means they avoid the prospect of facing the Netherlands in the second round.

Martino went with three out-and-out strikers in his side’s victory over Slovakia following criticism that he was too conservative in their opener with Italy.

For New Zealand, two surprise draws with Slovakia and Italy meant Ricki Herbert’s All-Whites would seal a sensational round-of-16 berth for themselves if they could get the bag their first win of the tournament. A draw could also take them through, if they drew scoring more goals than Italy did in a draw with Slovakia.

Herbert elected to stick with the eleven that earned a heroic, and well deserved, point against Italy at the weekend and set out their stall to contain their opponents from the off. With impressive teenager Chris Woods reaming on the bench, former Wimbledon striker Shane Smeltz retained his place up front.

Despite the impressive left-back Claudio Morel Rodriguez and midfielder Enrique Vera rushing from deep, Paraguay struggled to find their rhythm in the early stages.

Martino then showed his fury with holding midfielder Victor Caceres, as he picked up a yellow card after ten minutes for a tackle from behind on Rory Fallon. Scraping his studs down the back of the Plymouth striker’s ankle, it was as cynical as it was stupid and means he will now miss his side’s second round clash.

The age-old gap between the front three and the midfield was again causing a problem. Their first chance arrived from a set-piece after 13 minutes but Denis Caniza couldn’t control his volley and his shot sailed harmlessly wide of Mark Paston’s goal.

In the absence of  Salvador Cabanas, Nelson Valdez shouldered the responsibility of plugging the gap and showed intent when he skipped around three defenders before his cross evaded Cardozo and Roque Santa Cruz after quarter of an hour.

Caniza hit another speculative volley moments later, with similar results, but was finding his range and almost opened the scoring after 20 minutes but narrowly missed the top corner of Paston’s goal from outside the box. The skipper hit another 30-yarder after half an hour that swerved just over, leaving many wondering whether he had chucked a few bob on himself to open the scoring.

With midfielder Christian Riveros failing to impose himself on the match, Paraguay offered their front men little service in the first-half and Oscar Cardozo’s only glimpse of goal came from a speculative long range effort five minutes before half-time.

Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz offered as little as Cardozo in the first period. His only meaningful contribution came in the form of a booking for a late tackle just before the break as his increasing frustration got the better of him.

Paraguay’s first real chance came from a corner on the hour mark. Taken short, Caniza clipped the ball across for Riveros to header straight at Paston from 10 yards before New Zealand frantically scrambled the ball wide for a corner.

Martino was becoming visibly frustrated with his side’s insipid display and re-introduced Lucas Barrios five minutes later along with the super-sub of their qualification campaign, Edgar Benitez. Cardozo and Valdez departed and the new additions made an instant impact, combining with Santa Cruz before Barrios’ shot flashed wide. It was the first time the Paraguayans had pushed the New Zealand defence onto the back-foot and the Kiwis were visibly unsettled by the pace with which their opponents broke.

Barrios should have won the game for his side after Benitez worked enough space for himself inside the box to curl a shot for the far corner; Paston got down well to save and, first to the rebound, Barrios should have tucked the ball into the empty net but seemed to get it caught under his feet, giving Paston enough time to smother his weak effort. The two subs again combined with ten minutes left when Benitez crossed for Barrios to head wide at the far post.

Woods did eventually arrive for the Kiwis and it was he who came closest to grabbing the goal that would take them through. Playing right on the shoulder of Julio Cesar Caceres, there was brief moment of excitement for the minnows as the youngster broke free of his marker to come within inches of converting a Smeltz cross. However, the offside flag quickly restored the gloom.

Most disappointingly, the Kiwis, fully aware that victory would take them through to the second round, never really showed any endeavour, even in the closing stages. Only the young Woods seemed interested in pushing forward. However, Herbert will be proud of his men: bank clerks and all. They can take pride in not only remaining unbeaten, but finishing above the World Champions.

For Martino, things will have to improve if his side wish to make the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

Read a full match report of the World Cup 2010 Group G game between Portugal and North Korea at the Green Point Stadium, Cape Town on Monday June 21 2010.

Cristiano Ronaldo ended his 16-month international goal drought and served notice of his destructive capabilities by inspiring Portugal to an emphatic victory against North Korea.

Portugal’s seven-goal win, their biggest-ever World Cup success, leaves the Ivory Coast needing a victory over North Korea and a nine-goal swing in their favour if they are to deny Carlos Queiroz’s team a place in the last 16.

Portugal will qualify with a point against Brazil and Ronaldo, who made one, scored one and hit the woodwork in this game, was the stand-out performer.

Portugal coach Queiroz was contradictory in his pre-match press conference on Sunday, first claiming that his team had great respect for the North Koreans before insisting that his players would be looking to boost their goal difference with a healthy victory in Cape Town.

But while Portugal achieved their ultimate objective by comprehensively beating their opponents, the North Koreans could have made life much more difficult for Ronaldo and co. had they capitalised on their early dominance.

With forwards Jong Tae Se and Hong Yong Jo particularly impressive, the Koreans produced the kind of slick, attacking football that England failed dismally to deliver in this stadium on Friday evening.

Cha Jong Hyok sent a 25-yard strike narrowly wide on eleven minutes before goalkeeper Eduardo saved well from Hong before Pak Nam Chol headed the rebound over from 10 yards.

North Korea were organised at the back and their counter-attacking was crisp and threatening. But Portugal, painfully aware of the ramifications of a failure to win this game, grabbed the lead on 29 minutes when Raul Meireles gave a stunning pass from Tiago the finish it deserved from 12 yards.

Portugal’s goal gave the Koreans a distinct disadvantage, such is their reliance on their defensive discipline.

Finding an equaliser was always going to be a challenge and Portugal capitalised on the growing gaps in the North Korean defence by racing away with the game in the second half.

Simao doubled their lead on 52 minutes with another low-strike from close range before Hugo Almeida made it 3-0 with a powerful header from Fabio Coentrao’s cross two minutes later.

Tiago then added a fourth on 60 minutes when he directed Ronaldo’s cross into the net from 12 yards. Ronaldo rattled the crossbar on 71 minutes before substitute Liedson made it 5-0 nine minutes later.

But the goal that the Green Point Stadium had been desperate to witness came on 87 minutes when Ronaldo pounced on a backpass before slotting past goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk.

Korean embarrassment was ensured, but Tiago compounded their misery with a header to make it 7-0 two minutes later.