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| Wednesday, February 13, 2002 20:45 EST |
Del Piero sparks Italians in second half
[Associated Press]
CATANIA, Sicily -- For the first half, a lively United
States team kept the Italian superstars at bay, wasting several
chances to score a stunning upset.
"We missed an opportunity when we came out so strong," said U.S. coach Bruce Arena.
U.S. captain Claudio Reyna, right, battles for a high ball with Italy's Cristiano Zanetti. |
Then Alessandro Del Piero came on in the second half and quickly
scored to lead Italy to a 1-0 victory in the World Cup warmup
Wednesday night.
Until then, a surprisingly offensive-minded U.S. team had
dominated, even drawing cheers from many in the capacity crowd of
25,493 in this Sicilian city.
"The plan was to come out and attack them and keep the high
tempo," U.S. captain Claudio Reyna said.
Italy, a three-time World Cup champion, is among the favorites
to win this year's tournament in Japan and South Korea, while the
U.S. team is seeking to improve on its last-place finish among the
32-nation field four years ago in France.
If the United States advances out of its first-round group with
Portugal, South Korea and Poland, the Americans are likely to play
Italy in the second round on June 17.
Italy, playing the Americans for the first time since a 1-1 tie
in Chicago in 1992, scored the goal 17 minutes into the second
half. Massimo Marazzina, a newcomer to the national team who also
had just come on, stole the ball just outside the area and fed a
streaking Del Piero, who tapped it in past goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
The U.S. team controlled the first half, outhustling the
Italians and winning challenges for the ball.
The United States came close in the fifth minute when
19-year-old Landon Donovan broke away from defender Marco Materazzi
and shot from just inside the box, hitting the left post with Italy
goalkeeper Francesco Toldo clearly beaten.
A minute later an Earnie Stewart goal was disallowed for an
offside call. Just before the half ended, Donovan beat defender
Fabio Cannavaro but curled his shot just high.
Italian fans began booing the Azzurri and cheering the
Americans' spirited play.
Italy's first shot on goal came after 35 minutes, when Christian
Vieri headed wide. Vieri, considered Italy's most dangerous
forward, was contained by Gregg Berhalter.
Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni blamed some of his players for
taking the match "as too much of a friendly."
He didn't name names but pulled forwards Vieri and Francesco
Totti after the first half.
"In the second half we played with a different mentality while
the U.S. team faded," Trapattoni said.
In the second half, the Americans lost some of their pace but
still up the pressure.
"They made four substitutions at the start of the second half
and became fresher," Reyna said. "We just didn't have any
solutions left."
Reyna limped off with an injured left ankle, testimony to
aggressive Italian tackling in the second half.
John O'Brien, who came close to scoring, said, "I was able to
get behind the defense several times. We just lacked the killer
instinct."
Security was tight, with some 500 police officers, including
some in black riot gear, posted in and around Cimbali Stadium.
A sign posted at one end of the stadium called the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks against the United States "a defeat for all
humanity."
The last time the Americans played in Italy was also a 1-0 win
for the Azzurri, at Olympic Stadium in Rome during the first round
of the 1990 World Cup.
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