Italy tasted defeat for the first time this tournament as they lost 2-1 against Paraguay. The Azzurrini started well against their opponents, but lost their way in the game and their lead as well and ended the game trying to force an equaliser that ultimately never came. A defeat, but Carmine Nunziata’s boys will move onto the next round. The Azzurrini Coach heavily rotated his team after securing qualification last time out: Only two players who faced Mexico were also in the starting eleven for this match. His team’s second place finish in the group means that they will play Ecuador on 7 November at Estadio Kleber Andrade in Cariacica, with kick-off at 20:30 CET. After the defeat Nunziata gave his thoughts ahead of the knockout game: “We'll look at today’s game and we'll look at the errors we made in order to improve ahead of our next game. We knew Paraguay’s quality and at this point in a World Cup it’s normal to give those boys who have played every minute so far a rest and give some of the others the chance to get on the pitch. At the end of the day I don’t think it was a bad game: they kept fighting until the end but the result is what it is.”

With qualification to the round of 16 secured Nunziata took the opportunity to rotate his team. He kept the 4-3-2-1 formation but brought in nine new players and so his team lined up like this: Rinaldi in goal and Moretti, Riccio, Pirola and Barbieri forming a back four; Panada the captain kept his place in the team shielding the defence with Boscolo and Giovane playing in front of him. The team was finished off with Capone playing behind the strikers Arlotti and Oristanio. Gustavo Morinigo, Paraguay’s Coach, also rang the changes with eight new starters from the team that beat the Solomon Islands 7-0.

The Azzurrini came straight out of the blocks and were ahead after just three minutes: a free-kick was swung in from the left and Pirola found himself free at the back post and headed in from a few yards out. Italy then went close to doubling their lead in the 27th minute. Oristanio stole the ball from the Paraguay keeper and tried to curl in from distance, but the ball whistled just wide of the left upright. Paraguay’s response came in the 33rd minute as Lopez hit the base of the post with a shot from outside the area. But Paraguay weren't to be denied for a second time as their equaliser came just four minutes later, as Duarte scored from close range following a low cross from the left. The goal knocked the Azzurrini out of their stride and they struggled to find their rhythm again. Duarte came close to scoring his second in the second minute of first-half stoppage time when he struck the same post that Lopez had done earlier.

Shortly after the restart for the second half Italy had a good chance to equalise: Boscolo unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the area and Gonzalez did well to get down and push it round the post. And Italy were made to pay for the missed opportunity in the 50th minute as Quinonez rose highest at a corner and his looping header crept past Rinaldi into the back of the net. Nunziata decided a change was needed and sent on Tonghia and Brentan for Oristanio and Panada. Boscolo and Tonghia linked up well and on two occasions their good play almost led to an equaliser. Paraguay fell back into a defensive shape while Italy pushed forwards, but ultimately the Azzurrini couldn’t find a way through. But their attention is now already turned towards the round of 16 match against Ecuador in Vitoria on September 7 (departure is scheduled for tomorrow morning)

In the other match in Group F Mexico beat the Solomon Islands 8-0.

Italy 1-2 Paraguay 

Goals: 3’ Pirola; 37’ Duarte; 52’ Quinonez

Italy (4-3-2-1). Rinaldi, Moretti, Riccio, Pirola, Barbieri; Boscolo, Panada (54’ Brentan) (C), Giovane;  Arlotti, Capone, Oristanio (54’ Tongya). Coach. Nunziata. Substitutes. Molla (GK), Gasparini (GK), Cudrig, Dalle Mura, Gnonto, Lamanna, Ruggeri, Udogie.

Paraguay (4-4-2). Gonzalez, Lezcano,  Duarte B. (C), Ortiz, Barrios;  Ovelar, Peralta  (76’ Viera) Quinonez, Lopez; Benitez (35’ Presentado, 45’ Acosta), Duarte D. Coach. Morinigo. Substitutes. Gonzales (GK), Aranda (GK), , Melgarejo, Noguera, Ocampos, Segovia, Torres.

Referee: Al Marri (QAT)

Bookings: Giovane

Group F Fixture List

Monday 28 October
Solomon Islands 0-5 ITALY
Paraguay 0-0 Mexico

Thursday 31 October
Solomon Islands 0-7 Paraguay
Mexico 1-2 ITALY

Sunday 3 November
ITALY 1-2 Paraguay
Mexico 8-0 Solomon Islands

Standings: Paraguay 7 points, Italy 6, Mexico 4, Solomon Islands 0

The top two teams in each group along with the best four third-placed teams will progress to the round of sixteen.