ESPN Network:
ESPN.com
ESPN Deportes
Fantasy Games
|
|
|
| Tuesday, February 12, 2002 18:29 EST |
Asta to make debut; Di Vaio gets rare start
[Reuters]
CATANIA, Italy -- Italy coach Giovanni
Trapattoni has handed a debut start to Torino midfielder
Antonino Asta, naming the 31-year-old in the side to face the
United States in a friendly on Wednesday.
Trapattoni also selected in-form Parma forward Marco Di Vaio
ahead of Alessandro Del Piero as strike partner for Christian
Vieri, but stressed his side was an experimental one designed to
test out various alternatives ahead of the World Cup finals.
The decision to pick Asta, born in Sicily, will delight the
thousands of local fans who turned out to the team's training
session at the Cibali stadium, beneath snow-capped Mount Etna.
But Trapattoni said his decision was based on a desire to
try out a more attacking alternative to Juventus midfielder
Gianluca Zambrotta on the right side of midfield.
"Asta's strengths are in those runs he makes in the final
thirty meters of the field and I want to see how his attributes
can assist Vieri. Zambrotta is a guarantee in so many other
areas though," said Trapattoni
Asta, a late-developer who has climbed the ranks from
regional football, left the stadium with a broad grin and made
no attempt to hide his feelings.
"I feel very emotional. It is such a dream to make my Italy
debut and above all here in Sicily. But when the whistle is
blown tomorrow I will have to focus purely on the task and try
to play my normal game," Asta told reporters.
The decision to play Di Vaio, who is joint top scorer in
Serie A this season but has made just one international
appearance, ahead of Del Piero may raise some eyebrows but
Trapattoni said Wednesday's match offered a chance to learn
about his options.
"I know all about Del Piero. We all know what he can do. I
want to see Di Vaio in this situation, playing in this system,"
said Trapattoni.
Del Piero said he understood the decision and added that
there was no question of any bad feeling on his part.
"I am sure I will get on in the second half. It is right to
try things out like this. It doesn't affect my morale at all. I
still have the same enthusiasm and desire to do well," said the
Juve striker.
Trapattoni will start with Inter Milan's Francesco Toldo
ahead of regular first-choice Gianluigi Buffon and will also
give another chance to the Inter pairing of midfielder Cristiano
Zanetti and defender Marco Materazzi.
Injuries have robbed Trapattoni of regular starters Paolo
Maldini, Alessandro Nesta and Filippo Inzaghi.
U.S coach Bruce Arena will not name his team until shortly
before kickoff, but his main decision will be in attack where
he must choose between San Jose Earthquakes striker Landon
Donovan and Crystal Palace forward Jovan Kirovski.
|
|
|
|
|
|
