World Cup 2010: Sluggish Italians Able To Salvage A Point In 1-1 Tie Against Paraguay

The television broadcast team cited Sky Sports Italia as the report’s source.

Italy and Paraguay remain drawn 1-1 in the 72nd minute.

Justo Villar broke one the cardinal rules of goalkeeping, and as a result, Italy has equalized.

The Paraguayan `keeper came off his line to punch a ball floated across his six yard box, but when he missed his punch, Simone Pepe’s service found Daniele De Rossi for the Azzurri’s 64th minute equalizer.

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, consider amongst the best at his position in the world, has been substituted at halftime by Marcello Lippi.

Cagliari goalkeeper Federico Marchetti has come on.

Gerardo Martino has set-up the Paraguayans to absorb and defend, and while Italy has been unable to craft a consistent way through the defense, Paraguay has gone ahead with a set piece goal.

In the 88th minute, Aureliano Torres lofted a beautiful ball from 35 yards out, and elevating from near the spot, just inside Gianluigi Buffon’s right post, center half Antolin Alcaraz headed the ball perfectly back to the near post, giving the all-world `keeper no chance. Paraguay was up 1-0 late in the half.

Antolin Alcaraz got on the end of a Aureliano Torres dead ball, out-jumped Fabio Cannavaro to head Paraguay ahead of Italy in the 38th minute in Cape Town.

Paraguay had played conservatively throughout the half and, aside some a small stretch in the middle of the half, seemed content to absorb the Italian attack.

Surprises for both sides as we are moments from kickoff:

Italy: Gianluigi Buffon, Gianluca Zambrotta, Fabio Cannavaro, Giorgio Chiellini, Domenico Criscito, Daniele De Rossi, Riccardo Montolivo, Simone Pepe, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Alberto Gilardino, Cluadio Marchisio