LONDON: Former playmaker Andrea Pirlo joined the criticism after Italy’s 1-0 defeat to Sweden on Friday left the four-time champions on the brink of missing out on the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
Italy, whose last failure to qualify for the finals was in 1958, have to beat Sweden by two goals in the return leg tomorrow in Milan to avoid what the head of the federation Carlo Tavecchio has dubbed the “Apocalypse.”
But their toothless performance on Friday — the latest in a series of lacklustre displays — has done nothing to reassure their supporters that Gian Piero Ventura’s side is up to the task.
“Italy looked like a scared team that was playing for a 0-0 draw. In Europe, that is not enough,” Pirlo told Sky Sport Italia.
The 38-year-old, who confirmed his retirement last week, also had little sympathy for Ventura’s complaints about the referee.
“It’s a red herring,” he said. “Playing in Europe is not like in Italy, where you get a free kick for even the slightest contact.
“In these matches you need to be above all that and give 100 percent; it’s in these matches that you see the real players.
“It will be tough for Ventura to find the right words to say to the group.”
• Anthony Hudson has backed his New Zealand side to get the result they need to make it to Russia after they held Peru to a 0-0 draw in Wellington.
The hosts overcame a lack of possession and territory to get the result against their more fancied opponents, with All Whites’ goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic making a series of impressive saves in the intercontinental playoff first-leg.
Ryan Thomas had arguably the best chance but his 85th-minute shot flashed centimeters wide of the right-hand post and the sides head to Lima all square ahead of the second-leg on Wednesday.
“It is a really strong result for us, big result and we are pleased with where we are at,” All Whites coach Hudson said.
“But our feet are right on the ground. We haven’t achieved anything yet. We still want to get to Russia. All we have to do is score one goal and that puts added pressure on them.
“We are very confident we can go there and score.”
• Australia coach Ange Postecoglou accused the Honduras media of being disrespectful to his team and said his players had used it as motivation before Friday’s 0-0 draw in the first-leg of the playoff.
Australia missed a number of chances in San Pedro Sula but had the better of a scrappy game played on a soggy pitch and will head to the second-leg in Sydney on Wednesday confident of qualifying for the finals in Russia next year.
Postecoglou took exception to a local newspaper that dismissed his team as “11 kangaroos” in a headline and used the post-match press conference to berate the home journalists.
“Maybe you thought we were going to be easy,” Postecoglou said. “I saw in the newspaper you said it was 11 kangaroos out there, but kangaroos can play football, eh?
“We had two players (Aaron Mooy and Mat Ryan) who play in the (English) Premier League, we’ve got players in the first divisions in Europe.
“All I heard was we have a simple game plan and no stars — that was our motivation. We do our talking when the game comes.”
Pirlo predicts tough task for ‘scared’ Italy
Pirlo predicts tough task for ‘scared’ Italy
Cummins, Lyon floor England as Australia march toward Ashes triumph
- England batters seemed determined to squander the rare periods when they could reasonably be judged to be on top of the Australian attack
- They needed at least one, and preferably two, to stand up like Travis Head who put on 170, nearly half Australia’s second-innings total of 349
ADELAIDE: Pat Cummins skittled England’s top order and Nathan Lyon spun out their soft underbelly to all but seal another Ashes series victory for Australia on day four of the third test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
Chasing a world record 435 runs to win, England were reduced to 207 for six at stumps, still 228 runs short of victory and having played no small part in their predicament through batting misadventure.
Jamie Smith, on two, and Will Jacks, on 11, were left to try to salvage something from the wreckage of another demolition day for the tourists.
With holders Australia 2-0 up in the five-test series after eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane, they need only draw the match to retain the urn.
But there is little prospect of a rousing comeback win from an England squad that have failed to live up to expectations.
“Obviously very disappointing. Uphill battle from here,” England opener Zak Crawley told reporters.
“We came here to win the Ashes and we’re staring down the barrel now .... It’s been tough, they’re a very, very good side.... Obviously we’ve been slightly short of our best but credit to them.”
Questions have been asked of England’s preparations, selections and batting approach, and there were plenty more teachable moments from Saturday’s play at Adelaide Oval.
Their batters seemed determined to squander the rare periods when they could reasonably be judged to be on top of the Australian attack.
They needed at least one, and preferably two, to stand up like Travis Head who put on 170, nearly half Australia’s second-innings total of 349, to effectively bat England out of the game.
Instead, they were prey for Australia skipper Cummins, who took three top-order wickets and extracted gold from a still-firm pitch that proved unyielding, initially, for others.
In his first test since July, coming off a back injury, Cummins became the second test captain to take 150 wickets, joining Pakistan’s Imran Khan (187).
KEEPING THE CHAMPAGNE ON ICE
England’s Ben Duckett was first to go, taking a half-hearted push at a nagging ball and sending an edge flying chest-high to Marnus Labuschagne in the slips.
The shot was neither Bazball aggression nor stout defense, something meekly in between.
Number three Ollie Pope fell for 17 in a similar vein, nicking off to the slips with a more hard-handed prod and watching in disbelief as Labuschagne dived forward to take a one-hander just above the grass.
Labuschagne raced around the wicket in open-mouthed celebration, and England were 31 for two.
Another collapse beckoned but Crawley (85) and Joe Root (39) dug in until just after tea.
Root was lucky not to be dismissed lbw when he failed to play a shot at the part-time spin of Head, only to be caught-behind off Cummins moments later, playing at a ball he should have left.
It was Cummins’ 13th dismissal of England’s master batter, the most by any bowler.
Root slapped his bat in frustration but his was a misdemeanour compared to the batting crime committed by Harry Brook, who was bowled for 30 by Nathan Lyon with a botched reverse sweep.
Lyon followed up by bowling captain Ben Stokes for five with a ball that pitched, straightened and crashed into middle and off-stump.
The collapse gathered pace as Crawley lumbered forward at Lyon, misjudged the flight and was gleefully stumped by the clinical Alex Carey.
He had batted well for his 85 to that point but his wicket came as the pressure rose, leaving England needing a miracle from Jacks and Smith. Each has struggled for runs when their team has been crying out for them.
Australia will keep the champagne on ice until victory is complete.
“We want to keep working hard and probably not look too far ahead,” said Carey, who singled out Lyon for praise.
“I just thought Nathan was bowling really well and kept putting lots of energy on the ball. He toiled away all day and finally got some reward.”
