Italy's Experience Will Tell in Group F

Italy played a smart drama free qualifying campaign, can they do the same in the World Cup asks Al Dannity. The Azzurri will have a good platform to build on in South Africa.

How they got here
The World Champions looked the part in qualifying, playing with enough style to impress but not so much flair that it left gaping holes at the back. The Azzurri won five of their opening six games, only dropping points in a 0-0 draw away to Bulgaria. A 1-1 draw with group rivals Ireland followed before victories over Georgia and Bulgaria put Italy on the verge of the World Cup finals.

A tight road game against Ireland saw Italy take the point they needed from a 2-2 draw. This secured automatic qualification and a 3-2 win over Cyprus in the last group game saw Italy complete an unbeaten qualifying campaign.

Who to watch
The caliber of opposition is always worth keeping in mind when looking at World Cup betting so keep a close eye on Alberto Gilardino. The Fiorentina striker is a good bet to be the tournament’s top scorer, especially if he can rack up a few goals against rank outsiders New Zealand.

Keeping it tight at the back is just as important as creating chances to score and in Gianluigi Buffon Italy possess one of the most talented and experienced goalkeepers in the game today. His Juventus team mate Fabio Cannavaro however is a question mark in defense for the Azzurri. While undoubtedly talented, the defender has shown his age this season and this World Cup could mark the end of his career. Age profile is the one big concern for the Azzurri however 26 year old Daniele De Rossi of Roma is a midfielder entering his prime who could make a significant impact in South Africa.

How they will perform
The group stage should prove easy for Italy. They possess far too much talent for the three group rivals. The one team I would otherwise like to sneak a point against the Azzurri is Paraguay but seeing as they face Italy first I expect a strong disciplined performance will see Italy take maximum points from their opening game. The Azzurri should do likewise against Slovakia and New Zealand to take full points from the group and progress into a second round tie where they will be favored. While I like Italy to make it to the quarter finals I think the party ends in the last eight with age finally catching up with an otherwise impressive squad.

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