England – Italy 1:2 (end) | Ivory Coast – Japan 2:1 (end) | Switzerland – Ecuador 2:1 (end)
France – Honduras 3:0 (end)
final
England
1:2 (1:1)
Italy
Sunday 15.06.2014, 00:00 • Arena Amazonia, Manaus • FIFA World Cup
     
    There's the final whistle, and Italy have claimed a potentially vital 2-1 win against England! They had to soak up a lot of pressure towards the end, but their class was on hand for everyone to see! Claudio Marchisio's effort in the first half was promptly cancelled out by Daniel Sturridge, before early in the second half Mario Balotelli headed in the winner. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more thrilling action from the 2014 FIFA World Cup! (02:02:40)
     
    Game over.
     
    90+5
    It's now the final 30 seconds with Italy surely heading for victory! They've fought really hard today!
     
    90+4
    Pirlo! He's a magician! Andrea Pirlo with a wicked effort smacks the bar! That could have finished it there and then!
     
    90+3
    Thiago Motta is now fouled against as Italy look to see out the game in the English half! They need the win today!
     
    90+2
    We've had to wait a long time for the first yellow card of the evening! Raheem Sterling for taking out his opponent on an Italian breakaway is dealt a caution!
     
    90+1
    We're going to have a rather large amount of stoppage time today, a full five minutes!
     
    90
    Again Raheem Sterling goes for it himself, but wriggling away from Andrea Pirlo he finds only the stands behind the goal!
     
    89
    Andrea Barzagli does well to slice a dangerous Raheem Sterling shot up and over his own crossbar! That could have gone anywhere!
     
    87
    Rooney! Picking up the loose ball right on the edge of the area Wayne Rooney blasts high and wide! He is cutting a frustrated figure!
     
    87
    Ciro Immobilie is caught offside just after Andrea Pirlo had showed off some beautiful skill! He is simply magical to watch!
     
    85
    Steven Gerrard whips it in high looking for the ball to dip in time, but his effort is just too strong! England are running out of opportunities today!
     
    84
    Adam Lallana is clinically taken down right on the edge of the penalty area, it's another promising free kick for the English!
     
    84
    The fans inside the Arena Amazonia are in fine voice, the majority of the crowd today seem to be supporting the Italians!
     
    82
    Italy are looking to have completely shut up shop, they're very happy to sit back and let England have the ball!
     
    80
    And the English are making a substitution at the same time, talented forward Daniel Sturridge, who looks to be injured, is replaced by Adam Lallana
     
    79
    Here comes another change and it's Italy's last, the impressive Antonio Candreva has been taken off for Marco Parolo
     
    77
    Leighton Baines takes it on, and his curling pacy effort looking for the right hand corner is punched away by the flying Salvatore Sirigu!
     
    75
    Daniel Sturridge has been taken out just outside the Italian penalty area giving the English a great free kick opportunity!
     
    73
    And the English have also made a change, Jack Wilshere, an attacking midfielder, is replacing Jordan Henderson
     
    73
    Mario Balotelli, the scorer of the second Italian goal, is now being taken off with Ciro Immobile coming on in his place
     
    72
    Glen Johnson through a crowd of bodies goes for a piledriver from distance, and with the goalkeeper rooted the ball flies not far wide at all of the left hand post!
     
    68
    Candreva! He's been excellent tonight! Antonio Candreva again unmarked takes the shot on from just outside the penalty box, and with Joe Hart panicking it sails only just wide of the right post!
     
    67
    But Salvatore Sirigu commands his area well and gathers solidly!
     
    66
    Raheem Sterling with a tricky dribble dumps the ball across goal from the right, and the Italians are forced into giving away a cheap corner
     
    64
    Ross Barkley with his first contribution forces Salvatore Sirigu into a clever save after a pacy charge down the left flank! And that was just after Matteo Darmian just couldn't get a shot away from just a few yards out!
     
    62
    Rooney! He should really have scored there! Picked out without a defender near him Wayne Rooney spins inside the penalty box, but drags the ball centimeters wide of the left hand post! He just had to hit the target!
     
    61
    Now it's England's turn to make a substitution, Danny Welbeck has been replaced by midfielder Ross Barkley
     
    61
    Danny Welbeck making space for himself on the edge of the penalty box goes for a curling shot into the right hand post, but it falls well off target
     
    60
    The Italians are slowing the pace of the game down controlling the ball with real precision. And Mario Balotelli is inches away from getting his boot on to a low whipped cross from the right!
     
    57
    We have the first change of the evening and it's for Italy, Marco Verratti is being hauled off in place of Thiago Motta
     
    56
    Steven Gerrard bursts into the penalty area with real power, and jumping over Gabriel Paletta the ball rolls out of play. And the referee rightfully ignores the penalty claims!
     
    55
    Glen Johnson from an acute angle on the right flashes the ball across goal, and under pressure Daniele De Rossi just manages to claw it away!
     
    54
    Rooney! England are upping the pace right away! Wayne Rooney drives on hard to the right, goes for a low effort into the far post but it rolls inches wide!
     
    52
    Sturridge! For almost the second time today he could have drawn England level immediately! Daniel Sturridge with a wonderful run gets into a fantastic shooting position inside the penalty box, but he just over runs it!
     
    50
    Goal for Team Italy! And it just had to be that man! Matteo Darmian and Antonio Candreva combine well down the right with the latter clipping the ball to the far post, where MARIO BALOTELLI heads home! It's 2-1!
     
    49
    Sturridge! Daniel Sturridge unmarked cuts back, twists around and tests Salvatore Sirigu's reflexes with a testing drive from distance!
     
    48
    Mario Balotelli just drifts offside as he looked to find room behind the English defence. He does look dangerous every time the ball comes towards him!
     
    46
    The second stanza is go! It'll be interesting as to who will grab the initiative with the match delicately poised!
     
    46
    Start of 2nd half.
     
    Statistics after the first 45 minutes of play-

    Shots- 6-7
    Shots on target- 3-3
    Fouls committed- 4-7
    Ball possession- 40%-60%
     
    1st halftime finished.
     
    45+3
    And from the resulting corner Antonio Candreva inside the penalty box scuffs low into the left hand post! And the referee is now ready to blow his whistle!
     
    45+2
    Balotelli! What a fantastic effort! Peeling out to the left drawing out the goalkeeper Mario Balotelli goes for a delicate chip, and Phil Jagielka heads off the line! What a shot!
     
    45+1
    We're going to have an extra two minutes added on to the end of a thrilling first half
     
    45
    Darmian! He's having an excellent match so far! Charging down on the right Matteo Darmain cuts in, but his heavy effort flies over the bar! That was positive!
     
    44
    Italy look a bit shell shocked by that goal, that was the nightmare response! The English are looking very sharp on the counterattack tonight!
     
    40
    What a game this is turning out to be already! Interestingly during that English celebration, a member of their coaching staff seems to have been injured and is being stretchered off! This match has everything!
     
    37
    Goal for Team England! It didn't take them long to respond! Italy are caught out defensively on a sharp counterattack, Wayne Rooney smashes the ball across goal from the left and DANIEL STURRIDGE one times the ball home! It's 1-1!
     
    35
    Goal for Team Italy! They've been looking ever more dangerous! Off a corner on the right the ball rolls back to Andrea Pirlo, he cleverly dummies teeing up CLAUDIO MARCHISIO who drills into the left hand corner from distance! It's 1-0!
     
    33
    Balotelli! That was a real chance! Stretching and somehow managing to poke the ball across goal on the right Matteo Darmian finds Mario Balotelli, but the flashy forward makes poor contact with his head!
     
    32
    Steven Gerrard for England whips in a free kick from distance into the penalty area, but it's over hit and drops into the goalkeeper's gloves
     
    32
    Mario Balotelli is picked out with a long searching pass from deep, but opposition defenders crowd him out
     
    31
    Both teams are now just looking to slow the tempo a little, it is seriously hot in Manaus today
     
    28
    Antonio Candreva is looking very lively! Hanging unmarked on the right he closes in on the penalty box, but gets his shot all wrong! The Italians are keeping possession well!
     
    25
    And on the resulting corner with Salvatore Sirigu flapping, Wayne Rooney makes a poor connection with the goal gaping! Italy really do need to tighten up!
     
    24
    Italy are looking uneasy defensively! Danny Welbeck slipping in behind on the right clips the ball high across the face, and Daniel Sturridge just can't make contact! What a chance!
     
    23
    Balotelli! Twisting around completely free Mario Balotelli with a strong drive smacks the ball not too far over the bar from over 20 yards out!
     
    22
    Sterling! Raheem Sterling closing down on the left fires the ball low across goal, and Danny Welbeck under pressure just can't catch up with it!
     
    19
    Candreva! From almost 30 yards out Antonio Candreva puts his foot through the ball, and Joe Hart at the second attempt gathers!
     
    17
    It's another high swinging cross from Matteo Darmain on the right who has started brightly, but again the goalkeeper gathers easily
     
    16
    The English hold the ball up deep inside their opponents' half for a decent amount of time, eventually Glen Johnson takes the shot on, but from 20 yards out it drifts off target
     
    14
    Daniel Sturridge pulling out to the right cuts inside, looks to squeeze in a pass across the face of goal but it gets deflected into Salvatore Sirigu's hands
     
    13
    Antonio Candreva again on the right looks for Mario Balotelli in the middle, but Joe Hart catches comfortably
     
    11
    Italy play about too confidently just outside their box, Danny Welbeck picks up the ball but drags his sharp effort well off target!
     
    9
    Joe Hart gathers up a loose deflected ball in his penalty area as Italy look to make all their danger down the right flank. It's a real open and exciting start to the game!
     
    8
    Chellini! Andrea Pirlo bursts into the penalty box, it looks to rebound off Glen Johnson's arm, the ball then falls to Giorgio Chellini who thrashes well wide of the right hand post!
     
    7
    England have started very brightly but they're happy to sit back and let the Italians have possession
     
    5
    Henderson! England are looking dangerous! Jordan Henderson this time tries his luck from distance, and the goalkeeper gets down well to parry wide on his left!
     
    4
    Sterling! That was so close! Raheem Sterling winds up for a blockbuster effort from around 25 yards out, and it whistles just past the right hand post! Salvatore Sirigu would have struggled!
     
    3
    Matteo Darmain whips in a dangerous looking pass across the box from the right flank, but England defenders hack it clear!
     
    2
    Daniel Sturridge takes down Giorgio Chiellini just outside the Italian penalty box, and the referee blows but shows no card
     
    1
    Andrea Pirlo with one of his trademark cutting passes looks for Matteo Darmain on the right, but it's just overhit and it's a goal kick
     
    1
    Here we go! The expectant crowd inside the Arena Amazonia is looking forward to this one!
     
    1
    Game started.
     
    Both teams are now on to the pitch, and after the English and Italian national anthems we'll be getting underway!
     
    Starting lineups:

    England: Hart- Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines- Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Welbeck- Rooney- Sturridge
    Subs: Foster, Forster, Wilshere, Lampard, Smalling, Jones, Milner, Lambert, Lallana, Barkley, Shaw, Oxlade Chamberlain

    Italy: Sirigu- Darmian, Paletta, Barzagli, Chiellini- De Rossi, Verratti, Pirlo, Marchisio, Candreva- Balotelli
    Subs: Perin, Buffon, Thiago Motta, Abate, Cassano, Cerci, Aquilani, Immobile, Parolo, Bonucci, Insigne, De Sciglio

    Referees: Bjorn Kuipers, Sander Van Roekel, Erwin Zeinstra, Walter Lopez.
     
    These two teams make up Group D along with Uruguay and Costa Rica, with Costa Rica earlier today shockingly beating their South American opponents 3-1.
     
    England is a team that harbours hopes of winning every major tournament that they compete in, but the country which became world champions in 1966 always seems to fall just short. Italy on the other hand are tournament masters, always being amongst the main contenders, and winning this tournament most recently back in 2006.
     
    This edition of the FIFA World Cup is taking place in the football mad nation of Brazil, and the tournament has started with a bang. Every game has been simply full of goals and drama, and the Brazilian fans are loving every moment of it.
     
    Good evening and welcome to this 2014 FIFA World Cup Group D match between England and Italy. This is a real heavyweight encounter, and it should be a match to savour.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 00:00.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups
    Goals: 37. Sturridge – 35. Marchisio, 50. Balotelli

    Cards:   90+2. Sterling (ENG)

    England: Hart- Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines- Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Welbeck- Rooney- Sturridge
    Subs: Foster, Forster, Wilshere, Lampard, Smalling, Jones, Milner, Lambert, Lallana, Barkley, Shaw, Oxlade Chamberlain
    Italy: Sirigu- Darmian, Paletta, Barzagli, Chiellini- De Rossi, Verratti, Pirlo, Marchisio, Candreva- Balotelli
    Subs: Perin, Buffon, Thiago Motta, Abate, Cassano, Cerci, Aquilani, Immobile, Parolo, Bonucci, Insigne, De Sciglio
    Referees: Bjorn Kuipers, Sander Van Roekel, Erwin Zeinstra, Walter Lopez
    Attendance: 39800