The group D matchup between perennial European power houses England and Italy will take place in the Amazon jungle of Manaus. Saturday evening will definitely be a rumble in the jungle as both teams need to win in order to get out of the statistically hardest group in the entire tournament. The winner of this match will most likely stay at the top of the group with top ranked Uruguay, whereas the loser may have bought themselves a first round exit. A draw and it's anyone's guess who gets out of the group.
For Italy, memories of their 2010 crash and burn out of the first round in South Africa are still fresh in their minds. However, as defender Giorgio Chiellini aptly pointed out this week, that tournament was not the fully fit and healthy squad you see before you today. Midfielder, Andrea Pirlo was out before the tournament even began, and Pirlo is the engine that makes this Italian car go. Legendary Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, was also injured in the opening match of 2010 and missed the rest of the tournament. To put into comparison, that is like the San Antonio Spurs playing the Miami Heat without Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. Or as Chiellini says, "Pirlo and Buffon are the most important players. They've got character and they make the whole team play."
We know what to expect from Italy in this match, there “Catenaccio” style of play focuses on defense and patience. Expect them to sit back and take the initial wave of the English attack and then counter with Daniele de Rossi and Mario Balotelli.
The eccentric and often pragmatic, Mario Balotelli will be the focal point of the Italians hopes this summer. Many folks in Italy and abroad have been calling for the likes of Ciro Immobile (great name) to start over Balotelli but make no mistake, the Azzuri's fate hinges on Balotelli.
For the Three Lions squad coached by Roy Hodgson, their game plan should be much different than the Italians. They know Italy will be patient and start slow, so expect a fast paced attacking approach from England led by Raheem Sterling, Wayne Rooney, and Capain Steven Gerrard. Gerard believes that the key to the English victory will be there intense heat and humidity training and preparation leading into the World Cup.
Manaus, is the biggest city in the Amazonas it has the hottest temperatures, and highest humidity levels of all of Brazil. Excessive perspiration and heightened loss of mineral salts will occur with the risk of dehydration being at an all time high. "All the distances and the miles we have covered, the heat preparation, we have done all that so there are no excuses now. It is time to walk the walk." The English Captain said.
His teammate, Leighton Barnes, agrees preparation is their edge against Italy. Having arrived in Brazil and Manaus days ahead of Italy and having already played friendly matches in countries like Peru, Ecuador, and Honduras, Barnes believes it is the preparation that will put them over the top. “It's been really enjoyable; we've got some really good work in and spent some good time together. The preparation in terms of the heat and the opponents has been really good." He told www.thefa.com.
Italy will be without Star Ricardo Montolivo, a genuine No. 10, in all definitions of the word. His absence could create issues in the midfield and with the Azzuri attack. The weather will be the real star of the match as I will be concerned that the players even finish let alone score a lot of goals.
The game is set to kick off at 6:00 PM Eastern standard time at the Arena Amazonia in Manaus. It can be seen on ESPN and in Spanish on Unnivision. For live stream go to ESPN3.com and Univision.com for Live stream in Spanish.
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