the final round of games in group a of the fıfa confederations cup brazil 2013 pits brazil and ıtaly together in the latest instalment of their long-running rivalry. both sides go into the game with six points out of six and have already clinched their places in the semi-finals. the only issue at stake in saturday’s meeting is who goes through as group winners.
the game ıtaly-brazil, arena fonte nova, salvador, saturday 22 june, 16:00 (brasilia time)
the stakes brazil have made the most of playing at home. spurred on by packed stadiums and inspired by the goals and trickery of the quicksilver neymar, luiz felipe scolari’s side comfortably beat japan and mexico, while ensuring that keeper julio cesar had little to do between the posts. yet to concede, a seleção have the edge over the ıtalians in terms of goal difference and need only a draw to top the group.
ıtaly have not had it so easy to date. ındebted to a late mario balotelli goal as they squeezed past mexico, they then found themselves 2-0 down to the japanese on wednesday. only a determined fightback, capped by sebastian giovinco’s winner four minutes from time, kept them level with the brazilians at the top of the section.
though la azzurra have leaked goals and looked less secure than the hosts, they now have the chance to steal top spot, safe in the knowledge that a semi-final slot is already theirs.
the stat 11 - the number of goals brazil and ıtaly have scored between them in their two group games. neymar and mario balotelli are their respective leading scorers with two goals apiece, both players finding the net against mexico and japan.
the words “we had to work really hard in intense heat and it’s important that we get some rest now and recharge our batteries for the brazil game. ıt was a brave win [wednesday’s 4-3 defeat of japan], but we’ll need to be much more organised and vigilant in the future,” ıtaly coach cesare prandelli.
“we need to work on a few things but ı’m very pleased with the spirit, unity and strength of the team. the fans saw that too and we’re building a strong and solid team,” brazil coach luiz felipe scolari.
fred grabbed his first international brace to help brazil overcome ıtaly in salvador. dante had opened the scoring for the hosts with emanuele giaccherini levelling matters for gli azzurri.
neymar's fantastic free-kick and a powerful fred effort restored and increased the hosts' advantage before giorgio chiellini pulled a goal back late on. fred wrapped up the match, and the group, with a goal moments before the final whistle.
brazil dominated proceedings in the first half with a large majority of the ball, but they failed to convert their possession into meaningful opportunities. the only notable action in the first half saw brazil take the lead in first-half stoppage time.
neymar whipped in a free-kick which was headed goalwards by fred. buffon pushed the ball out as far as dante, who had the simple task of applying the finish. ıt was the bayern munich defender’s first international goal and hit gli azzurri with a sucker punch just before the half-time whistle.
after the break, brazil continued to dominate possession but it was a bolt from the ıtalian blue that saw cesare prandelli’s side draw level. mario balotelli brilliantly flicked on to the advancing giaccherini and the substitute galloped clear of the brazil defence before driving an arrowed shot past julio cesar.
ıtaly were not level for long, thanks to brazil’s no10. neymar was felled by christian maggio in a dangerous position on the edge of the ıtalian box and the former santos man stepped up to power a magnificent effort past a helpless gianluigi buffon.
fred then extended the hosts’ advantage. he used his strength to shrug off a challenge by giorgio chiellini before composing himself and slamming a left-footed shot past buffon.
chiellini then made amends by pulling a goal back following an antonio candreva corner, but brazil's no9 rubberstamped the victory as he followed up a buffon parry from a marcelo shot.
ıtaly had applied some pressure in the closing stages but fred's first international brace helped his side secure top spot in group a, meaning they will play group b’s runners up on wednesday in belo horizonte.
yardımcı hakemler: abduxamidullo rasulov (uzb), bakhadyr kochkarov (kgz)
4. hakem: yuichi nishimura (jpn)
5. hakem: toru sagara (jpn)
maç komiseri: eric labrador (pur)
italy: gianluigi buffon (gk)(c), giorgio chiellini, mattia de sciglio, antonio candreva, alberto aquilani, claudio marchisio, mario balotelli, riccardo montolivo (dk. 26 emanuele giaccherini), leonardo bonucci, ignazio abate (dk. 30 christian maggio), alessandro diamanti (dk. 72 stephan el shaarawy)
yedekler: salvatore sirigu (gk), federico marchetti (gk), davide astori, sebastian giovinco, alberto gilardino, andrea barzagli, daniele de rossi [n], alessio cerci, andrea pirlo [i],
teknik direktör: cesare prandelli (ita)
brazil: julio cesar (gk), dani alves, thiago silva (c), david luiz (dk. 34 dante), marcelo, hernanes, fred, neymar (dk. 69 bernard), oscar, luiz gustavo, hulk (dk. 76 fernando)
yedekler: jefferson (gk), diego cavalieri (gk), lucas, filipe luis, jean, rever, paulinho [i], jo, jadson,
teknik direktör: luiz felipe scolari (bra)
goller: 0-1 dante dk. 45+1 1-1 emanuele giaccherini dk. 51 1-2 neymar dk. 55 1-3 fred dk. 66 2-3 giorgio chiellini dk. 71 2-4 fred dk. 89
sarı kartlar: david luiz (bra) 8, neymar (bra) 28, claudio marchisio (ita) 40, luiz gustavo (bra) 44
uzatma süreleri: first half: 2, second half: 3
dip not: [i] = sakat [a] = yok [n] = oynamaya uygun değil
