MEX 1:2 ITA | Mexico - Italy (Confederations Cup)

Confederations Cup

Mexico – Italy

1:2 (end)

final

Mexico

1:2 (1:1)

Italy

Sunday 16.06.2013, 21:00 • Confederations Cup

		Thanks for following the game with us! We also cover the Spain-Urugay match in one hour! Stay tuned! (22:55:22)
		In an even second half Italy had the better opportunities – though not by much – and one of them brought the 2-1 game winner by Mario Balotelli. For Italy it's a perfect start into this tournament while Mexico now have more or less to win their game against hosts Brazil to keep their chances for a semifinal qualification alive.
		Game over.
	90+2	Italy have a lot of ball possession inside the Mexican half. Doesn't look like Mexico could fight back here anymore.
	90	Three minutes are added to the game.
	88	Distance shot by the Mexicans through the new man Raúl Jimenez, no problem at all for Buffon.
	87	Last possible change for Italy. Giaccherini is substituted by Aquilani.
	87	Raul Jimenez enters the pitch for Zavala. Second change by Mexico.
	85	Italy use their second option for a change. Mario Balotelli leaves the pitch with a lot of applause from the fans in Brazil and in for him now is Alberto Gilardino.
	84	Through ball for Cerci but he isn't fast enough and the ball crossed the endline before he could reach it.
	82	Italy play with 8 men defending all time now. They are known for their brilliant defense. Mexico need a little wonder in the last minutes of play.
	81	De Rossi (Italy) gets a yellow card.
	78	Goal for Italy! MARIO BALOTELLI gets Italy back in front with a superb individual effort! After a high lob by Giaccherini he forced his way through three defensemen and with a sideways scissor-kick he scored the 2-1 from short distance past the chanceless Corona!
	75	Flores with a scoring attempt from the second row, easily cleared by Buffon. Mexico is gettin stronger.
	73	Harmless shot by Balotelli that goes wide.
	70	Abate with a foul against dos Santos just next to the corner kick flag. The game has lost a lot of speed recently.
	68	First change by Italy. Cerci enters the match for Marchisio who didn't have his best day.
	66	Again the duel between Chiellini and dos Santos and this time the Italian defender wins the ball in a brilliant way.
	65	Chiellini throws himself into a cross by Giovani dos Santos – corner for Mexico from the right side but it stays very harmless.
	64	Corona intercepts a cross from the left wing just before Balotelli can reach it.
	62	Italy is controlling the second half aswell but without creating too much danger currently. The game stays very open to this point and the next goal could be already the decisive one for either side.
	60	One-two combination by the Mexicans inside the Italian area but the ball goes wide. Suddenly Javier Hernández goes down but no penalty signals the referee. The following counter led to another dangerous situation and this time Balotelli went down – again no penalty kick!
	58	Hard free kick by Pirlo, goes just half a metre over the right top corner!
	57	After an Italian corner from the right side the Mexicans weren't able to stop the danger and instead Giovani dos Santos didn't know to help himself but to commit a foul just in front of the Mexican area. Earns him a yellow card and a dangerous free kick for Italy.
	56	Another brutal entry from behind against Balotelli and the Italian striker is furious.
	54	Distance shot by the new man Mier but his shot goes wide several metres past the right bottom corner.
	53	Dangerous free kick for the Italians, almost the same situation as in the first half when they scored. Pirlo's shot was stopped and then Chiellini and Montolivo had opportunities from short distance before the Mexican defense finally cleared the situation!
	52	First change of the match. Mexico's Aquino is substituted by Mier.
	50	Hard cross by Balotelli from the right side of the Mexican area, finds no team mate.
	50	3-on-3 counter attack for Mexico but they play it extremly bad. Andrés Guardado went all the way inside the Italian half by his own with team mates on the left and right being in a good position for a through ball but in the end he just ran into a defender...
	49	Marchisio with a lob into the Mexican area but no chance for Balotelli to ever reach it.
	47	Hector Moreno (Mexico) gets a yellow card for a brutal entry from behind against Balotelli.
	46	Start of 2nd half.
		Mexico and Italy showed all their class in the first half and offered top football to the fans in the stadium and on the tv screens. Italy always looked a bit more dangerous but failed to use even best opportunities. In the end two standard situations led to the 1-1 after 45 minutes. First Pirlo fired a free kick from 25 metres into the left top corner, then Javier Hernández scored the equalizer via penalty shot – Barzagli had a black out and fouled Giovani dos Santos as last man after losing the ball to him without need.
		1st halftime finished.
	45+1	Balotelli wasn't able to reach a very high ball and the game continues with a goal kick for Mexico.
	45	One minute is added to the first half.
	43	Another beautiful play by the Italians. This time Giaccherini gave a through ball to Balotelli but before he could go into a 1-on-1 with Corona the Mexican goalkeeper cleared the situation.
	41	Amazing through ball by the Europeans towards the right outside lane but the following flat cross by Abate towards the six-yard box for Balotelli was intercepted in the last moment by Corona!
	40	Fast combination by Mexico on the right wing but the last pass for Javier Hernández was a little too sharp.
	39	Another kamikaze pass by the Mexican defense almost leads to a goal against – in the end the ball came to Balotelli who tried it with a shot from about 20 metres distance that was stopped by Corona.
	38	The European vice champions try it with several crosses from both outside lanes but so far without any positive result.
	36	Nice through ball by the Italians but Corona in the Mexican net was there with an interception.
	34	Goal for Mexico! El Chicharito JAVIER HERNANDEZ stayed very cool and fired the penalty shot into the right bottom corner for the surprising equalizer! No chance at all for Buffon who chose the other corner!
	33	Barzagli (Italy) gets a yellow card for his foul that led to the penalty shot.
	33	What a huge give away by Barzagli who as the last man lost the ball to Giovani dos Santos ans then hit his legs from behind in the attempt to get the ball away – very clear penalty shot for Mexico!
	31	Corner kick from the left side by the Mexicans, stopped easily by the Italian defense.
	30	A long ball intended for Guardado is stopped by the last man Abate who cleared the situation by staying very calm.
	28	The Italians continue with high pressure, force mistakes inside the Mexican defense.
	26	Goal for Italy! With an absolutely incredible free kick into the left top corner ANDREA PIRLO scores the deserved lead for Italy! No chance at all for Corona in the Mexican net!
	25	Again the today very active Balotelli – he is attacked by Maza and Torrado from two sides, wins a free kick for his team from about 25 metres distance.
	24	Another good solo work by Balotelli, this time on the left wing, but his pass towards the Mexican area was not precise enough and intercepted by a defender.
	21	Chicharito with a selfish play. He tried it with a shot from the left side of the Italian box that was very harmless but the better option would have been a pass to his team colleague Guardado who waited just next to him.
	20	The match has calmed down a bit recently as Mexico stays better defensively.
	20	Looks like Balotelli can continue without problems.
	19	Balotelli lost a duel deep in the Mexican half. Just when he was in the motion to kick the ball it was stolen from his feet and he seems to have hurt himself there.
	17	Hard entry by Gerardo Flores in the midfield but no cards shown yet.
	16	3-on-3 counter for Italy but Giaccherini waits too long so that the defense can come back. His pass then came to Pirlo who went down inside the Mexican area but no penalty signals the referee and he might be right as it looked like the defender played the ball in time.
	15	Great free kick position for Mexico from about 21 metres distance but the shot went straight into the wall.
	14	Balotelli forces his way past two defenders on the right wing but his cross then was intercepted before a team mate could reach it.
	13	Maza with a long ball that ends up in front of Italian goalkeeper Buffon.
	11	What a game! Giovani dos Santos went past Abate with a nice move on the left wing and his pass back to the border of the 18-yard box then came to Guardado who hit the crossbar! Buffon would have had no chance at all to clear the situation!
	9	The next huge opportunity for the Italians! Balotelli tried it with a shot from about 20 metres distance that was not placed well but had a high speed and Corona almost allowed a rebound but cleared the situation before Giaccherini could reach the ball!
	8	Giaccherini with a shot from within the Mexican area, goes just wide past the right top corner!
	7	After a fast attack over the left outside lane the Italians have the first real chance of the match! Montolivo received the ball after a 1-2 combination and then went deep into the Mexican area before giving a brilliant pass towards the penalty shot point where Balloteli waited but his attempt towards the left bottom corner was stopped with a big save by Corona!
	5	Maza with a crazy pass towards his own goaltender that is intercepted by Balloteli who then tried it with an immidiate shot from the second row to surprise Corona between the posts but his scoring attempt went wide.
	3	The Mexicans attack early and Buffon has to clear the situation in the last moment after one of his team mates played a dangerous pass back towards the own net.
	3	Guardado has the first opportunity of the game but his distance shot goes wide past the right post without real danger.
	2	In these first minutes Mexico plays with a lot more pressure than their European opponents who need a lot of time to create offense.
	1	Game started.
		Starting lineups: Mexico: Corona – G. Flores, Maza, H. Moreno, Salcido – Torrado, J. Zavala – J. Aquino, Giovani, Guardado – C. Hernández Italy: Buffon – Sciglio, Chiellini, Barzagli, Abate – Pirlo, De Rossi – Giaccherini, Montolivo, Marchisio – Balotelli Referees: Osses
		After yesterday's opener between Brazil and Japan (3-0) group A of the 2013 Confed Cup continues this evening with a game between Gold Cup champions Mexico and Italy who were qualified as finalists of the Euro 2012 – as the 2012 European winners from Spain were already qualified as World champions (2010). Mexico struggled a little in their previous games. First they faced Confed Cup participants Nigeria (2-2) in a test match at the start of June before they played in the final group stage of the CONCACAF WC qualification against Jamaica (1-0), Panama (0-0) and Costa Rica (0-0). On the other side Italy gained a 0-0 in the Czech Republic during their Europe WC qualification group before they only played 2-2 against outsiders Haiti in a test match. We can expect a very close game between two international top teams very soon.
		Welcome. Game starts at 21:00 CET.

Commentary by

Dennis Mende

Goals & lineups

Goals: 34. Hernández (pen.) – 26. Pirlo, 78. Balotelli

Cards: 47. Moreno (MEX), 57. Santos (MEX) – 33. Barzagli (ITA), 81. Rossi (ITA)

Mexico: Corona – G. Flores, Maza, H. Moreno, Salcido – Torrado, J. Zavala (87. R. Jiménez) – J. Aquino (52. Mier), Giovani, Guardado – J. Hernández

Italy: Buffon – Sciglio, Chiellini, Barzagli, Abate – Pirlo, De Rossi – Giaccherini (87. Aquilani), Montolivo, Marchisio (68. Cerci) – Balotelli (85. Gilardino)

Referees: Osses