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Italy outlast England 2-1

Monday, 16 June 2014


Italy gained all three points in their opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, outlasting England 2-1 in the heat of Manaus on Saturday.
Mario Balotelli came through when needed the most, scoring the winner off a header five minutes into the second half to break a 1-1 tie.
Claudio Marchisio opened the scoring to give Italy a first-half lead, before Daniel Sturridge replied for England two minutes later.
Salvatore Sirigu started in net in place of injured captain Gianluigi Buffo for Italy, and carried himself well, stopping several dangerous English chances.
In an even match tilted Italy's way in the 50th minute when an Azzurri attack caught England on the break. Antonio Candreva sent a great cross to the far post and the towering Balotelli made no mistake, heading his first World Cup goal past English keeper Joe Hart, according to website reports.
Antonio Candreva, young Italian midfielder, set up Balotelli's winner with a fantastic cross, hit the post, and was a menace for the English defence all game.
 Despite his success at club level, the English star Wayne Rooney still couldn't impose his will on a major international match. He missed a glorious chance to tie the game in the latter stages, and is still looking for his first goal at a World Cup.
"It was difficult. They caused us many problems on the left side in the first half. But with a few tweaks and changes we handled it better in the second half," said England captain Steven Gerrard.
Two goals in three minutes from Joel Campbell and Oscar Duarte put the Central Americans ahead before substitute Marcos Urena added a late third.
Uruguay's Maxi Pereira was sent off in injury time.
Costa Rica now play four-time world champions Italy in Recife next Friday.
Earlier, stylish Colombia shrugged off the absence through injury of star striker Radamel Falcao to hammer Greece 3-0 in Group C.
With Falcao watching from the stands, his Monaco team-mate James Rodriguez emerged as the star of the match, scoring one and setting up another for Teofile Gutierrez. Pablo Armero was Colombia's other scorer.
"We are capable of scoring goals and creating chances, which is a great thing to have," said Colombia's Argentinian coach Jose Pekerman.
"The important thing is that everyone did their bit for the team and that transmits confidence. We took our chances and knew how to play as a team."