Sams v. The Azzurri

A special Confederations Cup live blog here today brought to you by Dirk, Skip To My Lank's International Soccer Correspondent.

The US/Italy match up has provided us with some excitement and controversy in years past. Those passionate followers of Sam's Army will remember back to the 2006 World Cup when the US and Italy battled for a 1-1 draw with 3 players being sent off with red cards. Since that time Italy went on to win the World Cup and the US is still looking to achieve a level of consistent and quality international play. What will today hold? We will have to wait and see.

Line ups-
USA - 4-3-3
Howard
Bornstein
Oneywu
Demerit
Spector
Feilhaber
Clark
Bradley
Dempsey
Altidore
Donovan

Italy 4-3-3
Buffon
Grosso
Chiellini
Legrottaglie
Zambrotta
Pirlo
De Rossi
Gattuso
Iaquita
Gilardino
Camoranesi

Note - A friend once told me that there are about 6 guys in the world that no matter where they are, how old they are or who they are playing you can always count on them to put one in the back of the net. Unfortunately for the US, one of those guys Luca Toni, usually finds himself located directly in the middle of the Azzurri offense. We will have to see how that unfolds today with him out of the starting line up.

1'- We are off and running here with with the Azzurris wearing their traditional blue and the Sams coming out wearing the color of angels. The US has had trouble recently with giving up early goals, we will see how they handle early pressure from Italy.

2:34 - First Italian dive of the match

5'- A few flashes of offense from both sides, each team is feeling each other out with some hard challenges and some errant passes.

8'- First real opportunity for the US on a free kick right outside the box. Donovan taps it to Dempsey who takes a shot high and wide of the target. I would expect to see the US cross it in that situation since we don't have anybody that can take a shot from more than 15 feet away from the net.

15'- Through the first sixth of the game it has been very physical. The US midfield of Feilhaber, Clark and Bradley have been very solid in passing, controlling the ball and field position. Much more impressive than the previous 2 US international matches.

20'-Both teams have put together a couple of opportunities for shots at goal but nobody has broken through yet. The Italian team if known for a slow developing, plodding style that relies on defense and only needing one goal to win. Bornstein has picked up the first card of the match, a yellow, for a challenge on Camoranesi. Italy put in a beautiful cross from the foul that found an open head but went wide. A defensive breakdown by the US.

Side note - The crowd seems to be very loud at this match. I'm not sure if its fans that traveled or the South Africans coming out in droves to support Sam's Army. Either way, a good atmosphere adds a little to the match.

25'- A blown opportunity for the US. Donovan and Bradley using some excellent passing to put together a great run to create a 4-3 break. Bradley gets the ball in the box, but he can't finish with the left foot from 15 feet away.

29'- Well its official, the US needs to work on shooting with the left foot. Almost an identical play with Donovan running through the Azzurri midfield and dropping it off to the American Wunderkind Jozy Altidore, in almost the same spot as Bradley, only for Altidore to nub the shot.

31'- Great 30 yard strike by Pirlo on a free kick. Gives Howard trouble, but he successfully knocks it away. I wish the US had someone who could shoot the ball from farther out than 10 yards.

32'- RED CARD - Richardo Clark gets booked and sent off for a reckless challenge on Gattuso. The player that in my opinion was playing the best defense in the midfield for the US. Should have been a yellow, not a red. The US is used to playing a man down against Italy anyway, no love. Now its 10 on 11.

35'- Donovan catches a elbow to the face from Grosso and wins the free kick. A yellow for Grosso and a free kick from 25 yards out which sails over the net on a shot by Donovan.

38'- WOW - the US just got saved from an own goal, terrible pass back from Bornstein to Howard, by an offside. Lucky!

39 - PENALTY! - Jozy Altidore draws the PK on a 1 on 1. Donovan to take it. GOAL!

Donavan beats Buffon and the US is up 1-0 down a man and against the World Cup Champions. The Sams have heart! F*** Yeah!

45'- We got to the half with the US up 1-0. The US will have a really tough go of it the second half for 2 reasons. 1) playing a man down endurance and fitness will have a greater impact in the 2nd half. Italy will do their best to run the US all over the field. But Donovan won't care about that and run through brick walls, he always plays well against the Azzurri. 2) Italy still has Luca Toni on the bench, which doesn't bode well for the US if he gets in the game, because as previously stated, he is good for one goal. I'll be back at the start of the second for more action.

46'- 2nd half is underway and it wouldn't be a US/Italy match with out at least 1 red card and a close game. Here we go.

50'-So far this match I think Donovan, Bradley, Dempsey, Howard and Oneywu have been fantastic for the US. Strong solid play by all of them. Oneywu has a very difficult task with 3 backline starters that are not normally in the line-up with him.

53'- The US has gone to a 1 striker formation packing in the defense. Hoping to boot the ball ahead and wait for help. The US has a free kick with Donovan over the ball, he curls it into the 6 yard box, but it is safely cleared by Italy.

55'- Italy with the corner, Iaquinta gets a head to it, but it goes wide. Italy is playing well on the set pieces getting a head to most of the 50/50 balls. This may bite the US later on.

56' - SUB - Giuseppe Rossi for Gattuso - Those of you familiar with Rossi know that he could be playing on the other side of the ball right now. Grew up in New Jersey, choose to play Italian Soccer over playing for the Sams. Needless to say this guys is not a fan of Rossi, bring us more Jermaine Jones.

58- GOAL - needless to say Rossi just scored on an absolute rope from about 28 yards out. Damn that guy. 2 Minutes after stepping on the pitch. Yeah, we could have used that.

65'- SUB - Jozy Altidore out, Charlie Davies in.

66'- Italy is peppering the US with crosses and balls toward the goal. The US will need to be strong to withstand these run for 30 more mins and a man down.

67'- Rocket shot on goal for the Azzurris from about 18 yards out, stopped by Howard.

68'- SUB - Toni in, Gilardino out. Well this is the moment that this fan was dreading. Luca Toni is now in the match. I said earlier that he is good for a goal, so the Sams will have an even tougher go of it now.

71'- GOAL - De Rossi with another long range strike. It sure would be great if the US had players that could shoot like this. Well its gone from bad to worse. Not a good situation for the US to be in right now. Italy is known for great defense and now they can just pack it in.

71'- SUB - Beasley in, Feilhaber out.

74'- Corner for the Azzurris and Toni gets a head on it right in front of the net, puts it just past the post. Thats just Toni being Toni.

Note from out sponser - TLank wants me to make sure everyone knows how bad G.I. Joes the movie looks. When I watched G.I. Joes as a kid I don't remember Halo looking dudes with robocop suits on. What a crock.

80'- Dempsey with a good shot from distance, but Buffon makes it look better than it really was. Donovan gets taken out hard in the box in what should be a penalty, but a no call. No play on the ball, but the ref is gun shy to give another penalty.

85'- The pirate is seen getting really to come in for the US. For those of you who don't know who the pirate is, it is the one and only Sacha Kljestan. Kljestan in, Bornstein out. Only minutes left to go.

86'- Italy is playing keep away, happy to leave with a 2-1 victory after being down 1-0 most of the game. LUCA TONI - So close with a wide open header. Toni puts those in, but this time it was right at Howard.

87'-Kljestan with a solid long range shot with some nice curve. Great late game attempt.

89'- The Sams get their first corner of the game and it finds Charlie Davies who puts it over the top of the goal. Davies needs to put that in, he was wide open.

90'- 4 additional minutes of injury time. Forever in injury time, that's like 20 seconds on the clock in the NBA.

90+2'- LUCA TONI misses a wide open shot on Howard. The only reason Toni hasn't score is because Tim Howard is in net.

90+3'- GOAL - Rossi - Well that will do it. A magical run by Pirlo with a even more beautiful cross. Easy picking for Rossi. I'm kinda pissed off that he passed up giving the ball to Toni who was camped out in front of the net.

90+4'- Full Time - Player of the Match - Giuseppe Rossi. Easily got the award with 2 goals coming in as a sub with only 30 minutes left in the match. Tremendous play from a young star.

Italy prevails, the Sams look to regroup and somehow redeem some pride out of this. Thank you for tuning in. I hope my commentary was more enjoyable than watching my nationalistic pride take a hit by the hands of the Azzurris.

~Dirk - International Soccer Correspondent