 Italy began their World Cup campaign
in stylish, confident mood with a
comfortable win over World Cup newcomers
Ecuador.
Inter Milan striker Christian Vieri
opened the scoring after just six
minutes - and struck again after 27
minutes as the Italians took the game
beyond their South American opposition.
Ecuador - playing their first ever
World Cup fixture - seemed relatively
at ease on the ball. But they lacked the confidence to
take the game to the Italians and
rarely threatened Gianluigi Buffon's
goal.
Italy, on the other hand, moved forward
with ruthless precision and forwards
Vieri and Francesco Totti caused numerous
problems with their guile and vision.
The match at times had the feel
of a training game rather than a World
Cup fixture.
And the appreciative but quiet Japanese
spectators added to a slightly surreal
atmosphere inside the Sapporo Dome.
The game began at a frenetic pace,
with Ecuador making some strong challenges
as they tried to impose themselves
on the match.
After six minutes Totti played Vieri
through with an exquisite pass and
Ecuador goalkeeper Jose Cevallos did
well to come off his line and smother
the Italian's shot. A minute later Italy pushed forward
again and Vieri comprehensively smashed
Totti's cut-back into the net from
14 yards.
Totti almost doubled his team's lead
with a dipping angled shot from 20
yards after 11 minutes that Cevallos
pushed around the post for a corner.
Ecuador, though, surrendered possession
far too easily and were soon punished
again. The South American team gave the
ball away in their own half and were
cruelly exposed by a long ball up-field
from Luigi di Biagio to Vieri, who
shrugged off Ivan Hurtado's challenge
before slipping the ball under Cevallos.
The Ecuador goalkeeper made a partial
save but Vieri reacted quickly and
was able to tap the ball into an empty
net.
Ecuador did manage a shot on target
after 40 minutes - but Edwin Tenorio's
tame shot was easily saved by Gianluigi
Buffon.
The struggling Ecuadorians improved
in the second half, at least moving
forward with intent and a semblance
of self-belief. But Italy still continued to create
chances.
Damiano Tommasi shot just over, Cristiano
Doni hit the crossbar and Vieri
in search of his hat-trick forced
a good save from Cevallos.
But the Italians did not play with
the same intensity as during the early
stages of the match when they were
trying to seize the initiative. And Angelo di Livio, Gennaro Gattuso
and Alessandro del Piero were all
given run-outs as the Italians fined-tuned
their match fitness ahead of the tougher
challenges ahead.
Right at the end a fortunate deflection
presented Agustin Delgardo with a
great opportunity to score for Ecuador
- but he was denied by an excellent
save from Buffon.
Italy
Buffon, Panucci, Nesta, Cannavaro,
Maldini, Zambrotta, Doni (Di Livio
64), Di Biagio (Gattuso 69), Tommasi,
Totti (Del Piero 73), Vieri.
Goal: Vieri
(7), (27)
Ecuador
Cevallos, De la Cruz, Hurtado,
Guerron, Poroso, Obregon, Mendez,
Edwin Tenorio (Marlon Ayovi 59), Chala
(Ascensio 85), Aguinaga (Carlos Tenorio
45), Delgado.
Attendance: 31,081
Referee: B Hall (USA). |
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