[RECAP] The USA beat Italy for the first time in a series that began in 1934 with a 1-0 win in Genoa thanks to a well-constructed goal by
Second Half:
93rd minute: U.S. sub: Buddle for Dempsey.
92nd minute: Montolivo shoots wide from the top of the box.
79th minute: U.S. sub: BorussiaDortmund II teenager Boyd for Altidore in his U.S. debut.
78th minute: Bocanegra clears away shot by Abate, who broke free down right wing behindKljestan.
77th minute: U.S. sub: Spector for Johnson.
73rd minute: First U.S. sub: Kljestanfor Shea.
71st minute: Italy subs: Abate for Maggio, De Rossi for Marchisio.
68th minute:Yellow card to Bocanegra after Edu loses the ball in midfield.
67th minute: Chiellini receives yellow card for taking down Altidore.
63rd minute: Howard saves shot by Borini, who is making his Italy debut.
59th minute: Italy subs:Pazzini for Motta, Borini for Matri.
55th minute: Dempsey scores to give the USA a 1-0 win, scoring after Altidore laid the ball off to him on aplay that began when Bradley chipped the ball to free Johnson down the left wing.
46th minute: Italy subs: Chiellini for Criscito, Montolivo for Nocerino.
First Half
Recap:
It has been a much more composed effort by the Americans compared to their performances last fall at Belgium andFrance.
The USA saw a good amount of the ball and earned several free kicks in dangerous positions late in the first half. Michael Bradley andFabian Johnson, in particular, have impressed, allowing the USA to ward off the Italian pressure. For Italy, SebastianGiovinco, Italy’s “Atom Ant,” has been its most dangerous player.
The Italians have been springing Giovinco and Alessandro Matri but theyhave been consistently ruled offside.
Minute-by-minute:
41st minute:Buffon fists away Bradley’s chipped free kick to the far post.
37th minute: Dempsey’s free kick after Altidore is taken down 25 yards out ispunched away by Buffon.
26th minute: Matri puts the ball in the goal but again ruled offside.
19th minute: Giovinco again gets behind the U.S. defense but shoots straight at Howard to near post.
11th minute:Maggio down the Italian left side earns a corner.
10th minute: Johnson breaks down left side, and Shea shoots wide.
8thminute: First corner kick of the game goes to the USA.
4th minute: Motta makes late run into the area but shot is saved well by Howard.
Italy — Buffon; Maggio, Barzagli, Ogbonna, Criscito; Nocerino, Pirlo, Marchisio; Thiago Motta; Giovinco, Matri.