Italy moved a point clear at the top of Group E after drawing 1-1 with the USA in an incident-filled match in Kaiserslautern on Saturday, 17 June 2006. Alberto Gilardino headed Italy into a 22nd-minute lead but their lead last only five minutes until Christian Zaccardo turned the ball into his own net. That was the end of the scoring but a minute later the Azzurri lost Daniele De Rossi to the first of three red cards. The USA's Pablo Mastroeni then saw red in the 45th minute and Eddie Pope followed suit two minutes into the second half. The result left both sides in contention before their final games, with Italy top on four points and the USA bottom with one.

The Match

10': After a slow, patient start to the game where neither side could gain the initiative, the USA tried to force a breakthrough when Claudio Reyna fed Landon Donovan, but his cross from the right was cleared by the Italians.

16': Clint Dempsey brought the US contingent into full voice in appreciation as he outfoxed Italy with several step-overs on the right flank and his cross found Bobby Convey but he blazed over the top.

18': The Americans continued to press Italy and when Donovan fed Dempsey, he tried a right-footed shot which had Gianluigi Buffon scrambling but the shot was dragged wide.

22': After Italy initially struggled to get into the game, Andrea Pirlo curled in a free-kick from the right and Gilardino put Italy in front with a glanced diving header. (1-0)

27': The USA pulled level when Zaccardo tried to clear Reyna's free-kick with his left foot and sliced the ball into his own net. (1-1)

28': Italy were reduced to ten men when De Rossi was sent off with a straight red card for an elbowing offence on Brian McBride.

36': Gennaro Gattuso came on for Francesco Totti in a tactical substitution for the short-handed Italians and his first touch was a deflected shot which beat Kasey Keller, but the whistle had already blown for an offside offence.

42': USA gave Italy a huge scare when Pablo Mastroeni tried his luck from 25 metres and the ball skimmed the top of the net as it passed over. Three minutes later, however, Mastroeni became the second man sent off following a lunging foul on Pirlo.

47': Ten became nine when Pope earned his second yellow card for a foul on Gilardino. Pirlo curled the resulting free-kick just over Keller's crossbar.

52': Gilardino's inswinging free-kick was headed onto the top of his own crossbar by US defender Carlos Bocanegra.

61': As Italy forced the pace to press home their extra-man advantage, Simone Perrotta fizzed a shot in at Keller but was wide of the mark.

63': Donovan raced at Italy and slipped the ball wide to McBride, but he slashed at his shot and did not trouble Buffon.

65': US substitute DaMarcus Beasley found the back of the net with a low left-footed drive past Buffon, but McBride was standing in an offside position in front of the Italy goalkeeper and the flag was raised.

68': With Perrotta limping heavily and Italy having already used all three substitutes, Gianluca Zambrotta tried to curl one in with his right foot after cutting inside from the left wing but his attempt was just wide.

73': Substitute Alessandro Del Piero stretched and flicked a left-footed volley on target but Keller dived athletically and tipped the ball away with his right hand, saving a certain goal.
 

79': Del Piero fired in a swerving shot, but once again the impressive Keller was equal to it, palming the ball to safety.

Italy thus ended the night top of a very tight Group E, one point ahead of Ghana and the Czech Republic, prior to next week's showdown with the Czechs. The USA kept their hopes of qualification alive after playing almost the entire second half with one man less than the Italians.

Marcello LIPPI - Coach (ITA): We struggled tonight. We were off-colour and didn't play nearly as well as we did against Ghana the other night. I suspect we hadn't fully recovered. I had an inkling that might be the case and unfortunately my worst fears were confirmed. As so often happens, our mentality was different going into the game.

We were nervous and it showed in our performance. We made mistakes and didn't keep the ball. The equaliser that deflected off (Christian) Zaccardo was bad luck, but we weren't good enough to take advantage of the two sendings-off. Am I angry with (Daniele) De Rossi? He made a serious mistake, but that's something we'll deal with in-house. I don't want to discuss it in public. He will be suspended and we’ll pay the price. There's still everything to play for in Group E.

Simone PERROTTA (ITA): I’m disappointed because we didn’t play as well as we did against Ghana. On a personal level the last thing I needed was an injury because my form has been good. I have my club Roma to thank for that. I took a knock on the backside and had to grit my teeth just to stay on the pitch. We’ll see what the situation is tomorrow.

Gianluigi BUFFON (ITA): For us, the knockout stages of the tournament start with the next game against the Czech Republic. You can blame my old friend Pavel Nedved and the rest of his team for losing to Ghana.

Angelo PERUZZI (ITA): It was a very strange match. It’s obviously disappointing to only draw when you have ten men against nine for the whole of the second half. I don’t know if it was down to tiredness as Marcello Lippi suggested. What I do know is that when you set out to do something and you don’t achieve it you are always looking for reasons why and fatigue may be one of them. The feeling in the camp is good and regardless of the final outcome it has been a positive experience.

Alessandro NESTA (ITA): I was urging my team-mates on in the fist period because the USA were on top. I remember one incident when we couldn’t clear the ball and I fouled one of their players on the edge of the penalty area. We didn’t play as well as we can, indeed we played badly. We haven’t talked about it with the manager yet.

Andrea PIRLO (ITA): It was a hard game tonight; we ran our socks off. I’m not interested in the results of other teams, we play to win. Landon Donovan was everywhere for the Americans tonight. De Rossi says he caught the player accidentally. They were very aggressive and the two red cards confirm that. We created a few chances but we didn’t manage to score.

Fabio GROSSO (ITA): I was all set to come on at the end of the first half. The game then changed suddenly with the USA’s first sending off and the manager decided to do something else.