Italy Defeats Mexico 2-1, Balotelli and Pirlo Score

 

Andrea Pirlo scoring a free kick golazo during his 100th cap for Italy. (Photo: Reuters)
Andrea Pirlo scoring a free kick golazo during his 100th cap for Italy. (Photo: Reuters)

 

Before Andrea Pirlo opened the scoring for Italy and the game with a free kick golazo, Mario Balotelli was very active and aggressive at antagonizing the Mexican defense, which put Italy in the driver’s seat.

 

Mexico didn’t take Pirlo’s free kick lying down, as Mexico’s second striker and pseudo-enganche, Giovani dos Santos, pounced on Andrea Barzagli’s miscontrol outside of Italy’s penalty box, and Barzagli ultimately clipped Dos Santos’ heel conceding a penalty kick.

 

With Mexico down one to zero, Chicharito kept his cool on his penalty kick and outfoxed Italian goalkeeper, Gigi Buffon, to tie the game up at one goal.

 

Balotelli broke the deadlock in the 78th minute by shielding Mexico’s center back, Maza (Francisco Javier Rodriguez), off the ball, and then Balotelli used his quickness to spin around Maza and power the game-winning goal into the back of the net. Balotelli’s goal came off some creativity and quick thinking by Emanuele Giaccherini who deftly volleyed the ball with the outside of his foot over the Mexican defense.

 

Many Italian fans complained about the inclusion of Giaccherini in the starting line-up in place of Italy’s (presumably) still injured young prodigy, Stephan El Shaarawy, but Giaccherini was lively and dangerous in the attack.

 

Leonardo Bonucci was a surprising omission from the Italian starting line-up. Will Italian coach, Cesare Prandelli, use a five-man defense in the next game and start Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, and Giorgio Chiellini as three center backs with Ignazio Abate and Mattia De Sciglio as terzini fluidificanti (wing backs)?

 

Turning to Mexico’s line-up and tactics, the Mexican media and Mexican fans are in panic mode, but Mexico played Italy close. While Italy displayed superior passing against Mexico, Mexico only lost due to a single play by one of world soccer’s best talents, Mario Balotelli. Overall, Mexico is a skilled squad at every position, except for Mexico’s lack a playmaker to connect the midfield to Chicharito and Giovani Dos Santos.

 

Italy is a better team than Mexico, but then again, Italy is better than most national teams. Italy is capable of beating Spain, Brazil, or Germany, so Mexico’s inability to stop Balotelli from finally scoring doesn’t make Mexico’s defense weak. Mexico’s next game should answer some questions about which Mexican players deserve to start and what Mexico’s best line-up is.

 

There’s a strong argument to be made that some of Mexico’s best players such as Diego Reyes (center back) and Jorge Torres Nilo (left back) deserved the start, but beating an Italian side where the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi, and Claudio Marchisio were playing behind Mario Balotelli was always going to be a tall order for Mexico.

 

Italy had too much skill and big game pedigree at every position, and despite Barzagli’s miscontrol and clumsy clip of Dos Santos’ heels, the Italian defense at full strength is difficult for any national team to break down.

 

Italy’s pair of outside backs Ignazio Abate and Mattia De Sciglio both stamped their imprint on the game against Mexico, and the play of Abate and De Sciglio was part of a performance by Italy where Italy was effective and strong at every position.

 

Both Balotelli and Pirlo were equally influential in this game, and a passer like Pirlo playing balls to a technical and athletic prodigy like Balotelli was too much for Mexico.

 

Pirlo made his 100th cap for Italy a memorable one with his goal, but there’s no shame in losing to an Italian team that plays as a unit with elite players at every position. Mexico played Italy very close the entire game, and Giovani Dos Santos and Chicharito showed flashes of excellent attacking play.

 

No team is totally immune to an Andrea Pirlo free kick or a Mario Balotelli goal.

 

It will be interesting to see how much better Italy can play with Stephan El Shaarawy partnering with Balotelli, and Balotelli has started things off well by opening up his goal tally in the Confederations Cup in the first game.

 

After receiving a yellow card for ripping off his shirt after his game-winning goal, Balotelli will have to be careful not to pick up a second yellow in the next game.

 

With Balotelli leading the attack, Italy can beat any opponent at any time.

With Mario Balotelli, Italy Can Win The Confederations Cup

 

Italy has a superior weapon who can defeat any opponent in the Confederations Cup with just a single play: Mario Balotelli.

 

In addition to a very balanced and talented collective including the lethal striker tandem of Mario Balotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy, just Balotelli himself is a freak of nature whose superior athleticism is matched by his technical ability, aggressiveness, bravado, and coolness in front of goal.

 

While Italy’s overall skill level and teamwork make them a Confederations Cup favorite, even against Spain and Brazil, the wild card Italy has is Mario Balotelli.

 

Quite simply, Balotelli is impossible to defend when he is focused and fired up for a game. The problem with defending a focused Balotelli is that he’s stronger, faster, better, taller, and craftier than anyone who will face him, even Thiago Silva.

 

If an opponent tries to muscle Balotelli off the ball, Balotelli is stronger. If an opponent tries to mark Balotelli too closely, he will simply beat them with tricks or speed or both. If an opponent gives Balotelli too much space, he’s literally capable of scoring from 45 yards out or deeper, depending on where the goalkeeper is, or he will simply sprint at the defender and easily round him.

 

Balotelli needs to focus on keeping his focus, so that incorrect calls, fouls by the opposition, a mistake, or a poorly played pass to him have no real lasting significance because the games present 90 minutes where Balotelli can continue to attack, break down defenses, set up his teammates, and draw several defenders away from his teammates over and over again throughout the game.

 

Super Mario needs to forget about a single moment of frustration because his gifts and skills allow him to continue to create chances for himself and impact the game for the entire 90 minutes, as opposed to letting one let down distract his focus from continuing to play with purpose, magic, and fire.

 

If StraordiMario Balotelli can quickly forget about instances of frustration, then Italy’s combination of skilled players at every position who play as a team can have a first-striker up top who allows them to beat any opponent at any time with just a single moment of brilliance, power, athleticism, or all three.

 

Italy comes into the Confederations Cup with Gigi Buffon in goal, Ignazio Abate at right back, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci at center back, Giorgio Chiellini at left back, Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi, Claudio Marchisio, and Riccardo Montolivo in the midfield, Stephan El Shaarawy at second striker, and Mario Balotelli at first-striker.

 

The Starting XI for gli Azzurri come from Juventus, AC Milan, and Roma, and the substitutes are very dangerous players as well. In particular, Sebastian Giovinco and Mattia De Sciglio are dangerous substitutes.

 

While there were some omissions like Angelo Ogbonna and perhaps Antonio Nocerino, la Nazionale is nevertheless a stacked team that plays well together. Additonally, it’s worth noting that Marco Verratti is participating in the Under-21 European Championship, but Italy still has a very talented and proven group of players.

 

Italy’s Starting XI are talented, experienced, and used to playing together, and this fact alone makes them one of The Confederations Cup favorites.

 

On top of Italy’s strong collection of players at every position, Balotelli gives them a player with a physique and athleticism never seen before in world soccer whose talent and ability to deliver in big games match his athleticism.

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© Colin Reese