USA defeat Italy 0-1

[Dunny]

Italy 0-1 USA: Clint Dempsey defeats below-par Azzurri and hands Jurgen Klinsmann's side impressive win

The Fulham midfielder scored the only goal of the match as the hosts failed to break down the Americans in Genoa despite dominating play

Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every GameOpen an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £100 in free bets!Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200Sign up with Paddy Power for a free bet up to £50







By Julian De Martinis





208
Comments

More On : Italy, United States, Italy vs United States



Getty Images

The United States picked up their first ever victory over Italy, triumphing 1-0 in an international friendly at the Luigi Ferraris in Genoa.
Clint Dempsey scored the only goal of the game early in the second half, and despite a flurry of activity from the home side, the Americans held out for the win.
The match turned out to be a lively and open affair. An early attempt came as soon as the fourth minute, when Tim Howard was forced into making a great save from the charging Thiago Motta in the box.
Don't Miss

• Player Ratings: Italy 0-1 United States
• Gilardino: I want to play for Italy at Euro 2012

• Betting Preview: USA v Italy
• Why Italy need Balotelli, Di Natale & Cassano

Andrea Pirlo and Sebastian Giovinco proved to be energetic for the hosts, linking up numerous times through the Juventus midfielder's precise passes. Pirlo found the Parma forward but he lost his footing and scuffed his shot, and minutes later the same duo forced a solid save from Howard.
The Azzurri were caught offside on a number of occasions as the USA defence did well to hold their line. Jurgen Klinsmann’s men had a few promising attacks themselves, such as when Brek Shea’s ran through the Italian centre-backs, but just failed to reach the ball ahead of Gianluigi Buffon.
Their best chance came from a set piece with 10 minutes left in the first half, but Clint Dempsey’s powerful strike was parried to safety by Buffon.
The second period began much as the first, with Italy in control and the Americans looking to counter quickly. Giovinco was flagged offside twice in quick succession as Cesare Prandelli’s men continued to be flustered by the USA’s defensive compactness.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 55th minute after terrible defending from the home side. Jozy Altidore laid off a pass for Dempsey in the box, who found himself with space and fired right into the heart of the net to provide a shock lead.
Substitute Fabio Borini was introduced, and almost levelled matters eight minutes later after redirecting Giampaolo Pazzini’s lay-off towards goal, but Howard reached high to smother the shot.
The home side continued to pour forward and the impressive Borini nearly snatched a goal in the 78th minute but Howard, in fine form, blocked the forward’s shot.
Giorgio Chiellini's header went over the bar with just five minutes to go and a flurry of shots followed from the Italians but the United States were up to the task, and held out for a superb scalp.
Italy’s poor friendly form continues but Prandell likely won’t mind if the side can rediscover their stellar qualifying form in time for the Euro 2012, whereas Klinsmann picks up his fourth friendly win in a row as things are looking up for the Americans

[Dunny]

Wales 0-1 Costa Rica;-


Perhaps it was inevitable that with so much emotion accompanying this memorial match, the Welsh players would be unable to mark the occasion with the win which would have seemed so fitting. But still, the night in honour of Gary Speed took the form of a glorious celebration.
This may have been Wales's first loss in four, but that setback had no relevance whatsoever when put alongside the narrative of the evening. A near-full crowd turned out to honour the former national manager, who took his own life last November, and sang his name from the beginning to the last. There can be no question what he meant to not only his own nation but also the game at large.
Chris Coleman, Speed's successor, would have taken absolutely naught away from this defeat to a side ranked 20 places below Wales. Missing Aaron Ramsey and a late withdrawal, Gareth Bale, they struggled to rise above the sentiment and deal with lively Central American opponents. In reality, they were fortunate to get off so lightly and we should be mighty glad of it. Speed's memory deserved rather more, although the evening could not be faulted for its dignity. The perfect mood was struck.
Speed's father, Roger, addressed the players in the dressing room before kick-off and his thoughts also featured in the programme. He paid special mention to the League Managers Association, "who have gone to extraordinary lengths to assist and support us throughout". Roger Speed, who was an ever-present whenever and wherever Gary played or managed, had a simple message for the supporters, "Knowing what Gary meant to you has intensified our appreciation in him, our appreciation of the exceptional life he had and the lasting legacy he leaves behind as testament to that life."
A variety of Welsh bands serenaded the crowd – Mike Peters's rendition of Welsh football's unofficial anthem, Can't Take my Eyes of You, going down the best – while Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau boomed around the stadium as a montage of Speed's best moments as player and manager played on the screens. Ramsey and Craig Bellamy, the stand-in captain and a great friend of Speed, led out the teams with Speed's sons, Ed, 14, and Tommy, 13.
The boys remained with the team for the national anthems, with their mother Louise and their extended family in the main hospitality box. They witnessed a minute's applause with the two sides linked arm-in-arm around a centre circle bedecked in a canvas image of Speed, while at one end of the ground cards were raised to reveal the word "Gary" on the background of a Welsh flag during the anthems.
And so the game began and so the script was ripped up in seven minutes. Talk about a wake-up and smell the coffee moment. Costa Rica's goal was made in the Premiership, Fulham's Bryan Ruiz provided a perfectly-weighted pass to pick out the Arsenal youngster Joel Campbell, who is on loan to the French club Lorient. The striker's finish was calmness personified, slotting the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.
Slowly, the home side responded and there was a cry for a goal when Steve Morison's header from a David Vaughan corner clattered the bar and rebounded straight down. But the referee, Howard Webb of England, waved play on and the Welsh went in with a deficit.
The stage was set for a fightback and within minutes Bellamy had blazed inches over the bar. Still the spontaneous applause broke out. By the finale, Ruiz and Campbell were threatening to add to the scoreline. Kenny Cunningham hit the post for Costa Rica, while all Wales had to show for their efforts was a tame shot-cum-cross from Hal Robson-Kanu, neatly turned away by Keylor Navas. Bellamy made way for Robert Earnshaw, raising the question 'Was that his last act for Wales?' In truth, it all seemed pretty meaningless. As the whistle blew, "There's only one Gary Speed" resounded across the capital.
Wales (4-5-1): Price, Gunter, Blake, Williams (Gabbidon, 72), Matthews (Ricketts, 72), Robson-Kanu, Allen (Collison, 64), Crofts, Vaughan (Ledley, 72), Bellamy (Earnshaw, 76), Morison (Vokes, 70). Substitutes not used Brown, Taylor.
Costa Rica (4-4-2): Navas, Umana, Salvatierra, Miller, Cunningham (Diaz, h-t), Barrantes, Azofeifa, Wallace (Gabas, 71), Oviedo, Ruiz, Campbell. Substitutes not used Cambronero, Mora, Brenes, Tejeda, Cubero, McDonald.
Referee H Webb (S Yorkshire).

[Dunny]

Jamaica will have to make sure they hit the ground running in the world cup qualifiers or else they are in real danger of not qualifying. Make no mistake this will be a difficult campaign. USA and Mexico will qualify and watching Costa Rica last night they are a good team then there is Honduras so the JFF need to get their finger out and get some quality players in the squad!!

[Lazie]

"USA and Mexico will qualify"

Strange, I said that after the Gold Cup but of course the gladis dem get excited bout no team is sure of qualifying.

[Dunny]

"USA and Mexico will qualify"

Strange, I said that after the Gold Cup but of course the gladis dem get excited bout no team is sure of qualifying.

Unfortunately those 2 are in a league of their own in Concacaf, the rest of us are just fighting for scraps whoever thinks any different are just kidding themselves!!

[Zeppo]

[Muadib]

Mi memba Mexico barely mek it to group of 6 last qualifying...

Mek dem ease up an si what appen tuh dem.. bout diffrant league...

[Zeppo]

U.S. looks to build on Italy win

To understand the significance of the U.S.' 1-0 friendly win over Italy here on Wednesday, it's good to know what it was and what it wasn't. Was it historic? By all means, yes. The U.S. had never beaten Italy in 10 previous games going back to 1934. Winning against a four-time world champion on the road is always important, even if the game doesn't count. And yet the U.S. players were still cognizant that there were limits to how much you should take out of the result.

"We fight for respect every time we step on the field, so every little bit helps," said Michael Bradley, who was probably the U.S.'s best player in the central midfield. "When you come to Italy and you're able to play a game like that and come away with a win, it's a big result. At the same time, we're not going to sit here and act like just because we won a friendly 1-0 that now they're handing out the World Cup trophy. We'll take it for what it is and use it as a stepping stone."

(continue)

[Peter R]

Who is that in the white shirt?

[Skeng DX]

Angelo Ogbonna centre back for Serie club Torino

[Zeppo]

Born and raised in Italy to Nigerian parents.