Tweet
ARMENIA HOLD ERROR-PRONE AZZURRI
Football Italia
Oct 15 2013
By Football Italia staff
Alessandro Florenzi and Mario Balotelli had to fight back twice for
Italy's 2-2 draw with Armenia, which concludes World Cup qualifying.
The Azzurri were already qualified for the World Cup, but a win would
guarantee top seed status in the Finals draw. Now they'll have to
wait for South American results.
Gigi Buffon was rested and Daniele De Rossi injured, while the
experiments continued in defence. Lorenzo Insigne started in his
hometown stadium, the San Paolo in Naples, but there were only two
remaining from the XI that drew 2-2 with Denmark on Friday. Cesare
Prandelli's men are unbeaten in their last 39 European and World Cup
qualifiers, winning 11 on the trot at home. They won 3-1 in Armenia
in October 2012, the only previous meeting between these nations.
Armenia had the chance to go second in the group during this final
match and nearly scored after three minutes when Yura Movsisyan
pounced on a Davide Astori error on the edge of the box.
It was only a warning, as moments later Movsisyan intercepted another
poor Alberto Aquilani backpass for Astori and ran into the box via
a huge gap in the defence, placing his angled drive across Federico
Marchetti.
Dani Osvaldo horribly wasted a good opportunity by curling well wide
from 12 yards after a Riccardo Montolivo through ball, but Karlen
Lazarian blasted over when the Italy defence was again torn apart
with no protection from the midfield.
Insigne got down the left with good work only for Aquilani to balloon
off target from the edge of the box. The first Napoli player to
represent Italy at the San Paolo in 23 years had a fantastic scoring
opportunity, as his snapshot from the edge of the area cracked against
the upright and the goalkeeper somehow kept it out, blocking Osvaldo's
follow-up.
Italy equalised with a well-worked move. Osvaldo harried a defender
into giving up possession, Insigne chipped a cross up and Roma's
Alessandro Florenzi rose above Robert Arzumanyan to nod in at the
near post. It was the 22-year-old's debut senior Italy goal at the
fourth cap.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan burst past Leonardo Bonucci only to drag his shot
across the face of goal, while Marchetti smothered an Aras Ozbiliz
effort.
Insigne almost scored an absolutely stunning goal in his home town,
as he had his back to goal down the left when he left a defender for
dead with a backheel flick and immediately smashed an angled drive
inches past the far post. Moments later he attempted a spectacular
volley from Ignazio Abate's cross that wasn't far off target.
Before the break Insigne fired at the goalkeeper, while Marchetti
had to sprint off his line to clear from a weak Abate backpass.
Mario Balotelli replaced Osvaldo and immediately set up Insigne for
a shot parried at the near post, then the Napoli starlet returned
the favour for a scuffed finish into the goalkeeper's arms. Insigne
didn't get a clean shot away from another Balotelli assist, so it
bounced off the chest of Roman Berezovski.
Italy were in control, but Armenia remained dangerous on the counter
and restored their lead with an utterly avoidable goal. Marchetti
didn't control a harmless pass and let it out for a corner, then was
uncertain as it was curled in and Mkhitaryan's header went in off the
underside of the bar. It bounced back out, but had clearly crossed
the line.
Giuseppe Rossi replaced Aquilani for his first Italy cap since October
2011, forming a 4-2-3-1. It was Balotelli who got the Azzurri back
on level terms, as he ran on to a Pirlo through ball and swept in
off the top of the upright with the inside of his right foot.
Moments later, Balotelli's free kick from 30 yards was palmed out for
a corner and he had the ball in the net from an Insigne cross, but
only after clearly shoving his marker. The defence remained shambolic
and Montolivo had to clear a Mkhitaryan header in the six-yard box.
Insigne tested the goalkeeper in the final minutes and in stoppages
Balotelli surged forward alone from his own half only for the finish
to shave a coat of paint off the far post.
Italy 2-2 Armenia
Scorers: Movsisyan 5 (A), Florenzi 24 (I), Mkhitaryan 70 (A), Balotelli
76 (I)
Italy: Marchetti; Abate, Astori, Bonucci, Pasqual; Aquilani (Rossi
73), Pirlo, Montolivo; Florenzi (Candreva 60), Osvaldo (Balotelli
54), Insigne
Armenia: Berezovski; Mkoyan, Haroyan, Arzumanyan, Hayrapetyan
(Hovhannisyan 63); K Lazarian, A Edigaryan (Pizzelli 89); Ozbiliz
(Sarkisov 78), Ghazaryan, Mkhitaryan; Movsisyan
Ref: Oliver (ENG)
http://www.football-italia.net/40637/armenia-hold-error-prone-azzurri
From: Baghdasarian
Football Italia
Oct 15 2013
By Football Italia staff
Alessandro Florenzi and Mario Balotelli had to fight back twice for
Italy's 2-2 draw with Armenia, which concludes World Cup qualifying.
The Azzurri were already qualified for the World Cup, but a win would
guarantee top seed status in the Finals draw. Now they'll have to
wait for South American results.
Gigi Buffon was rested and Daniele De Rossi injured, while the
experiments continued in defence. Lorenzo Insigne started in his
hometown stadium, the San Paolo in Naples, but there were only two
remaining from the XI that drew 2-2 with Denmark on Friday. Cesare
Prandelli's men are unbeaten in their last 39 European and World Cup
qualifiers, winning 11 on the trot at home. They won 3-1 in Armenia
in October 2012, the only previous meeting between these nations.
Armenia had the chance to go second in the group during this final
match and nearly scored after three minutes when Yura Movsisyan
pounced on a Davide Astori error on the edge of the box.
It was only a warning, as moments later Movsisyan intercepted another
poor Alberto Aquilani backpass for Astori and ran into the box via
a huge gap in the defence, placing his angled drive across Federico
Marchetti.
Dani Osvaldo horribly wasted a good opportunity by curling well wide
from 12 yards after a Riccardo Montolivo through ball, but Karlen
Lazarian blasted over when the Italy defence was again torn apart
with no protection from the midfield.
Insigne got down the left with good work only for Aquilani to balloon
off target from the edge of the box. The first Napoli player to
represent Italy at the San Paolo in 23 years had a fantastic scoring
opportunity, as his snapshot from the edge of the area cracked against
the upright and the goalkeeper somehow kept it out, blocking Osvaldo's
follow-up.
Italy equalised with a well-worked move. Osvaldo harried a defender
into giving up possession, Insigne chipped a cross up and Roma's
Alessandro Florenzi rose above Robert Arzumanyan to nod in at the
near post. It was the 22-year-old's debut senior Italy goal at the
fourth cap.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan burst past Leonardo Bonucci only to drag his shot
across the face of goal, while Marchetti smothered an Aras Ozbiliz
effort.
Insigne almost scored an absolutely stunning goal in his home town,
as he had his back to goal down the left when he left a defender for
dead with a backheel flick and immediately smashed an angled drive
inches past the far post. Moments later he attempted a spectacular
volley from Ignazio Abate's cross that wasn't far off target.
Before the break Insigne fired at the goalkeeper, while Marchetti
had to sprint off his line to clear from a weak Abate backpass.
Mario Balotelli replaced Osvaldo and immediately set up Insigne for
a shot parried at the near post, then the Napoli starlet returned
the favour for a scuffed finish into the goalkeeper's arms. Insigne
didn't get a clean shot away from another Balotelli assist, so it
bounced off the chest of Roman Berezovski.
Italy were in control, but Armenia remained dangerous on the counter
and restored their lead with an utterly avoidable goal. Marchetti
didn't control a harmless pass and let it out for a corner, then was
uncertain as it was curled in and Mkhitaryan's header went in off the
underside of the bar. It bounced back out, but had clearly crossed
the line.
Giuseppe Rossi replaced Aquilani for his first Italy cap since October
2011, forming a 4-2-3-1. It was Balotelli who got the Azzurri back
on level terms, as he ran on to a Pirlo through ball and swept in
off the top of the upright with the inside of his right foot.
Moments later, Balotelli's free kick from 30 yards was palmed out for
a corner and he had the ball in the net from an Insigne cross, but
only after clearly shoving his marker. The defence remained shambolic
and Montolivo had to clear a Mkhitaryan header in the six-yard box.
Insigne tested the goalkeeper in the final minutes and in stoppages
Balotelli surged forward alone from his own half only for the finish
to shave a coat of paint off the far post.
Italy 2-2 Armenia
Scorers: Movsisyan 5 (A), Florenzi 24 (I), Mkhitaryan 70 (A), Balotelli
76 (I)
Italy: Marchetti; Abate, Astori, Bonucci, Pasqual; Aquilani (Rossi
73), Pirlo, Montolivo; Florenzi (Candreva 60), Osvaldo (Balotelli
54), Insigne
Armenia: Berezovski; Mkoyan, Haroyan, Arzumanyan, Hayrapetyan
(Hovhannisyan 63); K Lazarian, A Edigaryan (Pizzelli 89); Ozbiliz
(Sarkisov 78), Ghazaryan, Mkhitaryan; Movsisyan
Ref: Oliver (ENG)
http://www.football-italia.net/40637/armenia-hold-error-prone-azzurri
From: Baghdasarian