WCQ: Italy-Belarus [P+R]

[santino]

Camoranesi To Miss Italy Match
10/12/2004 3:33:00 PM
Mauro German Camoranesi will most probably be unavailable for the Italy-Belarus World Cup Qualifier match being played on Wednesday night at Parma.
The Juventus player has in fact been rested again and did not take part to the training of his national team at Coverciano on the eve of the match against Belarus.

The player, in agreement with the Italian medical staff, has decided to train only in the gym and not with the rest of the group.

Following last Saturday’s surprise defeat against Slovenia, Marcello Lippi was expected to make changes in the team anyway, so this injury will narrow down the Italian national team coach’s list of players to choose from for this important game.

 

[santino]

WC Group 5 Preview: Italy-Belarus
10/12/2004 8:21:00 PM
Italy must not just win- they must triumph- against Belarus on Wednesday in Parma in order to redeem the humiliating loss they suffered at the hands of Slovenia last weekend.
The Italian Balkan debacle stemmed from many reasons ranging from a lack of concentration and determination to a large dose of misfortune.

However a bigger cause, one that the Italian media has been debating over in the past few days, might be that the Azzurri are no longer the powerhouse they once were.

When a coach, in this case Marcello Lippi, is forced to field in his starting formation a player who just until last season was plying his trade in the Italian Serie B, ‘Ciccio Esposito’, an on and off starter for Juventus, Mauro Camoranesi, and a promising, but not yet established striker as Alberto Gilardino, this sad hypothesis on the state of Italian football might be true.

Time as always will be the judge, and the Azzurri fans must try to not believe this apocalyptic scenario is totally wrong if things happen to appear fixed in the event of a convincing win against Belarus, who despite the positive start to their qualifying campaign (a draw at Norway and a 4-0 thrashing of Moldova) can not be considered an opponent capable of causing problems to the Italians on the road.

“I expect a great game. My principal objective is to bring back the love and enthusiasm of the Italian people towards their national side. One game that ended badly does not close any doors because in the end we played well in Slovenia,” an optimistic Lippi said during Tuesday’s press conference.

TEAM NEWS

Marcello Lippi announced both Cannavaro and Camoranesi will not play against Belarus. They will be replaced by Inter defender Materazzi and Sampdoria wing Diana. After his disappointing performance against Slovenia Esposito will take a seat on the bench, with Pancaro playing as left back, and Zambrotta moved on the midfield line. Francesco Totti and Alberto Gilardino will be the Azzurri’s striking force.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Francesco Totti (Italy)-He didn’t play badly against Slovenia, but he didn’t even play with that intensity and determination that is needed from a team’s star player. This match is his second chance.

Valentin Belkevich (Belarus)-The Dynamo Kiev playmaker can be considered his nation’s Totti. He has great passing skills and links up very well with Sampdoria’s Kutuzov, another player the Azzurri should keep an eye on.


PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Available Wednesday morning

PREDICITON

Italy 4 Belarus 1

 

[santino]

U 21 ties it 1-1 before the half

bianchi scored

 

[Help?]

Originally posted by santino

Valentin Belkevich (Belarus)-The Dynamo Kiev playmaker can be considered his nation’s Totti. He has great passing skills and links up very well with Sampdoria’s Kutuzov, another player the Azzurri should keep an eye on.

What paper wrote this? They don't know anything about Belarus. Belkevich considered as Belarussian Totti? lol, what is Hleb then Zidane, Henry and Figo all in one? And Azzurri should keep an eye on Kutuzov? This guy is a spoilt youngster who though was good enough to play for AC Milan in a move that almost destroyed his career. BTW he is most likely not even starting, so yeah Azzurri's better keep a close eye on the Belarussian bench.



What's the score in U-21 match atm btw?

 

[santino]

it's 1-1 at about the 70th min

and goal.com wrote that article, ya they really don't know anything

 

[santino]

2-1 italia

aquilani......a bright roma future for him

 

[acmilan101]

good news.. but only 2-1?? Why not 4-1?

Aren't Belarus a weak footballing nation?

 

[santino]

Serbia & Montenegro 9 - 0 San Marino

now that's a scoreline


so does serbia have a good future or do san marino just plain suck?





i know im gonna get a response of "both" but meh

 

[acmilan101]

I don't know about Serbia&Montenegro's future but I do know San Marino sucks.

I'd like to know how big San Marino is, is it like the Vatican City or what? Why is there even a football team for San Marino, it's INSIDE Italy. I'd also expect that these players would be Italian (not San Marinoian ) and they'd be good. But they've never even scored a goal probably. Why doesn't SM just become a club and enter the Serie C and move up into Serie A, like Monaco have done in the French league.

Seems the best idea to me, I'm sure nobody likes their team being humiliated day in day out. Surely they mustn't take it seriously?

 

[claupastore]

Originally posted by acmilan101
I don't know about Serbia&Montenegro's future but I do know San Marino sucks.

I'd like to know how big San Marino is, is it like the Vatican City or what? Why is there even a football team for San Marino, it's INSIDE Italy. I'd also expect that these players would be Italian (not San Marinoian ) and they'd be good. But they've never even scored a goal probably. Why doesn't SM just become a club and enter the Serie C and move up into Serie A, like Monaco have done in the French league.

Seems the best idea to me, I'm sure nobody likes their team being humiliated day in day out. Surely they mustn't take it seriously?

italian players are good. but not all of them
san marino is really really small, its only a few hills and thats it. its about 60 square km (30 or so square miles)
how could you have a decent football team when you only have less than 30000 people living in the country?
prolly there are only about 5000 men to choose from

 

[Help?]

Originally posted by acmilan101
good news.. but only 2-1?? Why not 4-1?

Aren't Belarus a weak footballing nation?

Oh please. Don't make me tell you about our notable results of a 12 year old country. Just because you don't hear about us much, doesn't mean we are weak. As for our Fifa rank, everyone knows already how it is made up.

As for our Under-21 team. All the best players moved on to the first team, Belarus EURO under-21 would take care of italy's under-21 easily.

 

[claupastore]

italy´s under-21 its a new team. belarus wouldnt take care of the old under-21 with de rossi gilardino bonera pelizzoli brighi and company

 

[Help?]

Originally posted by claupastore
italy´s under-21 its a new team. belarus wouldnt take care of the old under-21 with de rossi gilardino bonera pelizzoli brighi and company

But we did .


Whatever i don't care, our Under-21 team will never be the same without Hleb brothers. Just can't wait for the game tomorrow, i am sure Belarus can show maybe not much but at least something.



Wait till you play in Minsk, now that will be fun!

 

[acmilan101]

Originally posted by Help?
Oh please. Don't make me tell you about our notable results of a 12 year old country. Just because you don't hear about us much, doesn't mean we are weak. As for our Fifa rank, everyone knows already how it is made up.

As for our Under-21 team. All the best players moved on to the first team, Belarus EURO under-21 would take care of italy's under-21 easily.

 

[italianstyle87]

Buffon ready for Belarus
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has promised fans will see 'a different Italy' when it takes on Belarus in Wednesday's World Cup qualifier in Parma.

The Italians lost 1-0 on the weekend to Slovenia, and although Buffon told the Press Association he can understand the fans' frustration, he is confident his side's senior players will stand up against Belarus.

"I understand the million of Italians who switched off the TV after the first half against Slovenia," he said. "On Saturday you go out and I would have done exactly the same thing."

"To follow an Italy side who never win I guess might be tiring. But deep down, I still believe that there are people who love this national team."

Buffon continued: "In Parma we will see a different Italy. For once I would like to see us win and convince."

"We need to have a series of victories in order to convince the nation that not only the foreigners can play well."

Buffon also says that playmaker Francesco Totti can inspire his team to victory.

"Now it is up to the four or five most experienced players to lift the team," he said. "Totti is the only one that can help us."

"He can make us win, there are no players like him."

 

[forzaazzurri]

Are you guys out to lunch ?????????

There hasn't been a Natgame TLN in almost a year now. Don't you know the story ???

Hopefully when TLN launches Rai Canada they will have the games then !!!

 

[italianstyle87]

ill be watchin on RAI International

my prediction

Italy 2-0 Belarus
Totti, Toni

 

[Drvar]

materazzi, pancaro in the line up, no zambrotta. what the **** kinda lineup is that, and did i see it good, or am i blind?

 

[Drvar]

em, forget it, zambrotta is playing as a winger, didnt look for him there .

 

[santino]

1-0 Tottigol!!!!!!!!!!!


totti scored off a penalty shot, he scored, had to retake it, scored again