The Azzurri return to the field this evening trying to forget their early departure from Euro competition earlier this summer. Back with the team is World Cup winning manager Marcello Lippi who has warned his players this will not be an easy task facing Austria with many missing faces in team Italia’s roster.
It’s half time in Nice France and Italy trail Austria by a goal. Prior to match-time Lippi was quoted saying, “With Austria I hope to see a Italy that fight” I hope so to but it’ll have to happen in the second half if they hope to salvage this one.
All out with injury are Marco Materazzi, Mauro Camoranesi, Fabio Cannavaro, Giorgio Chiellini, Luca Toni and Gennaro Gattuso who started but picked up an injury in the first 45mins. Missing also include Antonio Cassano as well as Christian Panucci and Massimo Ambrosini never favorites of Manager Lippi.
Goalscorers: Pogatetz 14 (A), Janko 38 (A), Gilardino 45 (I)
Italy: Buffon; Zambrotta, Bonera, Barzagli, Grosso; Gattuso (Perrotta 45), Pirlo, De Rossi; Di Natale, Gilardino, Del Piero
Austria: Manninger; Garics, Prodl, Stranzl, Pogatetz; Scharner, Saumel, Harnik, Ivanschitz, Fuchs; Maierhofer
Ref: Coue’ (Fra)
