Italy are looking to attack the United States on Saturday to clinch qualification from World Cup Group E as soon as they can. Striker Alberto Gilardino, expected to again form a 'trident' attack with Luca Toni and Francesco Totti, voiced confidence that an aggressive approach would work.
"We can't afford to lose first spot in the group on goal difference," he said, implying that the Azzurri hope to at least equal the Czech Republic's 3-0 win over the Americans. Coming second in the group would probably mean an unwanted early encounter with Brazil, who are still many pundits' favourites despite their indifferent performance in an opening 1-0 win against Croatia.
The Italian press reckons coach Marcello Lippi wants a hatful of goals against the US so he can afford to rest some players against the Czechs on Thursday. Lippi has been playing his cards very close to his chest, saying only that the US match will be "tough".
He is expected to field a practically unchanged side to the one that made a very impressive debut against Ghana, winning 2-0 with goals from midfielder Andrea Pirlo and substitute striker Vincenzo Iaquinta. The only certain change will be key defensive flanker Gianluca Zambrotta, who has recovered from injury and will come in at either right or left back.
Pundits think he is more likely to switch to the left side where Fabio Grosso looked a little unsettled by the Ghanaian attack, failing to push forward as much as Lippi would have liked.
Despite some great first-time passes and a trademark thunderous long free kick, Totti did not look fully fit against Ghana and some observers thought he might be spared the US game. But the Roma star indicated he was expecting to start
Saturday, replying to US coach Bruce Arena's provocative remark that he feared the front pair most.
"So Arena says he's more scared of them than me? Good, that means he's well informed, and I'll do my level best to put them into scoring positions," he said. Brooklyn-born Arena, whose great-grand-parents came from Sicily and Naples, is aware of the task facing his side, which needs a point to keep its hopes alive.
"Italy is one of the strongest sides we have faced," he said, putting the Azzurri ahead of Brazil as tournament favourites.
The US have steadily improved in recent World Cups, reaching the quarter-finals last time where many observers thought they were unlucky to be knocked out by eventual runners-up Germany. However, they did not look as impressive against the Czechs, with only veteran captain Claudio Reyna of Manchester City living up to his reputation.
The USA will need strong runners in the midfield so Arena his happy to have resolved a dispute with PSV Eindhoven's DaMarcus Beasely. The Italian midfield is on song at the moment, even without Milan ball-winner Gennaro Gattuso, who has just recovered from injury.
Roma pair Daniele De Rossi and Simone Perrotta - Gattuso's replacement against Ghana - are in fine form and Lippi is expected to make sure Gattuso is fully fit for the Czech Republic match by keeping him on the bench on Saturday. US midfielder John O'Brien, who played the second half against the Czechs, may have a chance to start in place of either Bobby Convey or Pablo Mastroeni.
The Italian defence was sometimes hard-pressed by Ghana, who squandered a couple of chances, so they will need to be wary of the US front pair of Landon Donovan and Brian McBride, who will be looking to make more or a mark than they
did against Pavel Nedved and Co.
The Italians are also acutely aware that they have a record of suffering against supposedly inferior opponents. "We can't undervalue the importance of this match," Gilardino said.
"For the United States, it will be the game of their lives".
