Confederations Cup Liveblog: Italy v. Brazil

Those damn horns!

Happy fathers day people. Fathers day, ahhh, that should mean that I will be left alone for 2 hours to blog this game. However be prepared for interruptions as Diego's rescue pack breaks or my little girl tries to ski down the stairs on a pair of my flip flops. Join me after the jump as Italy and Brazil get it on.



Ahhh F@ck. Lalas on ESPN again. Come back Tommy Smythe!

Lineups are in...

Italy

1 Gianluigi Buffon (G)
19 Gianluca Zambrotta (D)
22 Andrea Dossena (D)
4 Giorgio Chiellini (D)
5 Fabio Cannavaro (D)
21 Andrea Pirlo (M)
16 Mauro German Camoranesi (M)
10 Daniele De Rossi (M)
20 Riccardo Montolivo (M)
15 Vincenzo Iaquinta (F)
9 Luca Toni (F)


Brazil

Brazil
GKJulio César 1
(D) Juan 4
(D) Maicon 2
(D) André Santos 16
(D) Lúcio 3
(M) Gilberto Silva 8
(M) Kaká 10
(M) Ramires 18
(M) Felipe Melo 5
(F) Luis Fabiano 9
(F) Robinho 11

So what's the story here, well the Italians haven't beaten Brazil since 82 and need to win by 2 goals to go through. Egypt lose and an Italy draw will do. Of course there are many mathematical possibilities. We'll get to those as we crack on.

The ref is one Hector Vergara from Canada. Do they play football? We know they don't know much about the game from Fox Soccer Report.

Alright, anthems are underway and we are close. If this is your first Bigus liveblog here is my disclaimer. I am a retard, there will be spelling errors. Cake and eat it? Not here.

Ok, we are off, if this games sucks, U75 is blogging the USA v Egypt over on the other thread. Ain't this cool? TWO live blogs.


2 mins: The horns are blowing and neither team has kept the ball for more than 3 passes.

@Sven. She is two!

3 mins: Maicon breaks forward from the right and finds himself alone with the keeper only to be offside, and miss anyway. Straight down the other end and Camoranesi comes close as Lucio clears.

4 mins: Pirlo needs to learn how to head a ball. He meets a corner from the left and sends his effort wide. Well wide.

6 mins: Fabiano finds Ramirez on the right and he sends his shot wide. Game opening up a bit. Both teams look eager to get forward.

That ref doesn't look Canadian to me, oops, racial profiling!

9 mins: Robinho tries to set Santos on goal but Italy clear. Brazil certainly dedicated to pushing their outside men forward. Italy will certainly have opportunity to find space out wide.

10: Maicon cross finds Robinho on left of the Italian box, he sets up Kaka, center, who shoots into a sliding Doessena.

13: Neither team is really keeping possession. Kaka feeds Fabiano but he is muscled out of the action by Dossena and Cannavaro. Buffon gathers the loose ball. Robinho makes a speculative shot, weak and straight to Buffon.

Can't help thinking that Pirlo would do really well in the Premier League. Always seems like he really likes to get stuck in. Bolton away would not faze him.

15 mins: Kaka feeds Fabiano, who is a nippy fella and he is through. Buffon out early and collects at Fabiano's feet.

@Commenters. No touching please. None.

Oh we have a wave! The horns subsided for a moment as a wave made it's way around the ground. Love a wave. Especially when everyones at it and the cool guy who thinks he is too good has to stand up not to be outed as a jerk.

18 mins: Quite enjoying this. Kaka is good isn't he? Box to box player. Lucky Real. Corner for Italy as Camaronesi wins it from Santos. Pirlo sends a long one in, a high header and the ball is cleared by Brazil before a free kick is given to the team in yellow. Toni is through on goal via an Iaquinta pass but is tackled quite superbly as he pulls the trigger, by Lucio.

22 mins: Brazil are finding space that they shouldn't be afforded. But Maicon can't exploit the opportunity and wastes his cross.

I see there is a goal by the US in the other game. Nice one. Charlie Davies bundles the ball over the line. 6 more goals needed?

26 mins: Kaka feels cocky after finding out how much he is worth and tanks one from 40 yards.

27 mins: Camaronesi finds himself alone on the edge of the box, right but flashes his volley over the bar.

31 mins: Some impressive build up from Brazil, they probe the left, then Kaka links in the right and Maicon sends a cross in. Fabiano meets said cross but sends his effort high.

32 mins: Maicon is finding space on the right again and again, he is constantly open. Maicon wins a corner and takes it. Out for another. Wow. Maicon sends this in, cleared, arrives at Santos, feeds Lucio who has a cross deflected from the left up and off the bar. Another corner and Lucio is free again, his heavy shot is saved by Buffon before a follow up at the edge of the box is sent over by another Brazilian.

36 mins: Brazil have taken over this game as the first half gets old. Starting to find opportunity's....AND GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.

GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. GGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLL.

The impressive Maicon alone again, he steps inside and sends a ball into the box with his left. Fabiano takes the sting out of the pass and turns before sending the ball low to Buffons left with his right peg.

Italy 0 Brazil 1.

40 mins: Italy cannot keep the ball, Brazil are now in control. Italy need to get to half time and reorganize. TTR (That Traitor Rossi) is ON. Tactical change. Didn't see who came off. Standby people.

Iaquinta was the man replaced.

Is it me or is Dossena carrying a little to much weight? Pool fans?

42 mins: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Fabiano again. Robinho surges forward, plays a one two with Kaka to his left except he doesn't collect the return and leaves it for Fabiano to fill the empty net. Robinho's leave was super as Buffon dived to block the shot that didn't come.

Italy 0 Brazil 2

44 mins: GGGGGOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Italy have fallen apart. WOW. Italy caught napping and the break was on. 2 on 1. Robinho is away and he sends a cross to his mate Fabiano who is arriving at the back stick but Dossena intervenes by sending the ball passed his own keeper.

Italy 0 Brazil 3

HALF TIME

Italy reeling. Brazil took over after around 25 mins and they finished the half in a dominat manner. Hope you are enjoying this one like I am.

Back shortly

No way that dude's Canadian. No way.

As it stands, Egypt go through with Brazil.

Back to Pretoria. We are off.

So Hector Vergara IS Canadian. He was born in Chille..... And moved....??????

47 mins: Italy have started lively but look vulnerable on the break and one of those is on right now. Chiellini has brought Fabiano down at the edge of the box. Free kick. Santos passes to snack vendor 30 yards behind Buffon

50 mins: Italy look a little desperate. Preferring to knock balls into the box ignoring acres of space out wide. Crosses would be far more effective.

Brazil coach Dunga looks exactly like he did when he played for his country.

53 mins: I'll say it again. Maicon has been great today and he is ALWAYS open. If he had a head on every cross he's played over today this one would be in double figures. A rare Italian attack sees Dossena send a cross in that Ceasar deals with. A quick break and Robinho tries to make space for a shot but his Italian company makes the Man City player shank a shot wide.

56 mins: Gilardino on for Luca Toni. Just what's needed at 3 nil down. Well done Italy, take off a striker. I am baffled.

60 mins. This one is all Brazil. Italy were stunned before the break and a half time cuppa followed by a boot in the arse from Marcelo Lippi has had no effect whatsoever.

63 mins: Italy really are fucked as Brazil just counter every time Italy commit players forward. Brazil have really been better than I expected today. Over the last year I often thought that they were a shadow of their former selves but they have been very good today. All over the pitch. Or maybe Italy just suck?

@Michael RE: Dossena. Thank you sir.

67 mins: Pepe has been lively since coming on for Montolivo and he plays a one two but cannot get enough on his shot to trouble Buffon. TTR finds space and has a shot from distance. Buffon deals with it.

69 mins: The stunning Maicon finds Robinho from the right and he in turn sets up Kaka who shoots just wide from 17 yards.

I see USA up 2 nil now. Another goal and they pip Egypt? Yes ESPN confirms that. Thank you gents. Come on USA.

72 mins: ESPN just screwed up and named the ref as the wrong fella. A Mexican chap. Sorry ESPN. He is a Chilean Canadian!
Free-kick from Italy. Pirlo hits the wall and wins a corner. That is cleared and a Pepe shot/cross from 45 yards is turned wide for another corner.

73 mins: Chielini and Gilberto Silva try to recreate a scene from the Matrix 5 ft in the air and the Italian rolls around a bit before getting up.

WOWWWWWWWW. USA THREE UP and the USA are now set to go through if it stays like this. Can you Adam and Eve it?

76 mins: The US needs Italy to stay off the score sheet and Melo helps the dream stay alive as he stops Pepe's driving shot. At the other end Robinho has a shot blocked.

78 mins: Maicon makes a run from the right and decides to shoot, he has his effort sent wide for a corner by a defender. The resulting corner is cleared by Chielini.

Pirlo and Maicon really should play in the EPL. The Italian league is for wusses.

80 mins: Camoranesi has been a little greedy in this second half, he has failed to pass out wide on numerous occasions and just now went alone again, he is bundled off the ball and Brazil clear at the edge of the box.

84 mins: Kleberson is about to come on. The ex-Manchester United flop currently plays for Flamengo in Brazil. Gilberto Silva makes way for Kleberson. Who last played for Brazil 6 years ago.

86 mins: Maicon wins the ball and surges forward, feeding Robinho who loses the ball, but it breaks kindly for Kaka, who has his shot deflected wide right. Corner. Maicon sends it in, long to Santos who sends a cross back to the right. Maicon has another go and Italy clear.

The US are now just 3 mins from the semi's and they really need to send a case of beer to the Brazil hotel tonight. And a nice bottle of wine to Maicon and Fabiano.

89 mins: Time is running out for Italy and they look a beaten, deflated side. There's a rarity. Enjoy it people.

Anyone still there? I think I lost everyone to the other game.....(listening....crickets)

91 mins: De Rossi has a desperate shot from distance, wide.

Can't be long now. I don't remember a lot of injury time to be added. 4 mins max including 30 secs for subs.

94 mins: One last attack from Italy? A throw in half way into the Brazil half. Everyone forward. Doessena gets the ball on the left and shoots from 25. High by a foot.

And there it is. The final whistle.

Italy 0 Brazil 3

USA game is still being played, head on over the other thread if you are still with me, to see if they can hold on and go through. Thanks for your time people.


-Bigus