Italy just about managed to scrape through their first Group 8 qualifying match thanks to a double strike by Antonio Di Natale. The Udinese man gave the Azzurri the lead before Aloneftis levelled. However, it was Toto’, who popped up right at the death, with the winner. Goal.com rates the players on show.

Cyprus

Giorgallidis- 7.5: The shot stopper made some great saves to deny Alberto Gilardino in the first half. He couldn’t do much about Di Natale’s strikes however. Always alert and looked comfortable otherwise.

Nikolau- 6.5: Was always on hand to marshall the backline and ensure that nothing came through. However, his play was dirty at times and he was rightly booked.

Charalambous- 7.5: An excellent showing from the number three. He was constantly up and down the pitch and he should have won the game for his side late on. An accomplished performance and he had Luca Toni shackled.

Christou- 7.0: The small but built stopper worked non stop and he was always ready to interrupt and make life difficult for the Italians. Could have done better later in the match.

Garposiz- 5.0: His challenges were poor and late for most of the game. At times he risked being sent off with some nasty two foot challenges. It’s a miracle Daniele De Rossi wasn’t seriously injured.

Makridis- 5.5: Never really got into his stride but his passing did cause a few problems at the back for Italy. He could have done better in front of goal and missed a great chance in the first half.

Charalambides- 6.0: Controlled the middle of the park and he was always ready to help in defence. His passing was top notch but he could have been more alert when moving forwards.

Michail- 6.5: Was excellent in the first half but then he let his head down a little in the second. Showed great vision and trickery on the ball and he almost stunned Buffon with a long range strike from distance.

Aloneftis- 8.0: Arguably the most dangerous player on the pitch in Lanarca. Was a constant threat to the Azzurri and he got the stadium and adrenaline pumping when he equalised for his side on thirty minutes. Had countless chances and should have scored more.

Okkas- 6.0: Always looking for the slick move and his shooting was good. He tried too hard at times and maybe the easier pass rather than the selfish run would have been better. Was replaced by Pavlou on 73 minutes.

Kostantinou- 6.5: The hit-man was fairly quiet on the night but he did show glimpses of magic every now and then. He could have scored a couple had it not been for an outstanding Buffon.

Subs: Yiasouni 5.5, Christofi 5.0, Pavlou 4.5.

Italy:

Buffon- 8.5: Was superb for Italy all night and it’s little wonder as to why he is the World’s greatest shot-stopper. His saves stopped Cyprus but more importantly prevented the score line from turning nasty. Simply awesome.

Zambrotta- 6.5: Unfortunately he is not the Zambro of 2006. He struggled to get going and at times he looked lost. However, he made up for it by keeping things organised as the game progressed.

Gamberini- N/A: The defender was injured in the first minute and was replaced by Barzagli. The Wolfsburg defender receives a poor 4.5. He was awful all game and he just didn’t perform to the standard expected.

Cannavaro- 6.5: Made his return from injury and he did what he could. Had to work extra hard because he was let down by some of his team mates. Showed glimpses of the Muro Di Berlino he was during the 2006 tournament.

Grosso- N/A: Grosso receives no vote because like Gamberini, he was also injured early on. Cassetti scores 4.0. He replaced the Lyon man but Lippi must be wondering why on earth he choose him. Was very poor all game and his serious error of judgement allowed Cyprus right back into the game.

Camoranesi- 7.0: The Juventus midfielder was a constant threat down the right wing and his dancing runs and crosses were always dangerous. Pinpoint passing and some silky skills ensured his side were always able to attack.

Pirlo- 7.0: Ran the midfield and his passing was second to none. He could have showed more determination to lead but overall it was a typical Pirlo performance.

De Rossi- 6.5: The Roma man worked hard all night and he made some decent challenges to win possession several times. He linked up well with Di Natale on the right and he was also making his presence felt up front. Tried a cheeky lob which would have been goal of the season had it gone in.

Di Natale- 9.0: Udinese’s hero last weekend, the country’s saviour on the night. A sublime performance by the Napolitan hit-man. Never stopped running all game and his two goals were out of the top draw. He popped up right at the death to steal the points. What a difference he makes to the side.

Toni- 4.5: The Bayern Munich hit-man just cannot cut the mustard anymore for Italy. He was woeful all night and he kept on getting mixed up with Gilardino in the middle. A poor showing overall.

Gilardino- 5.5: Fared better than Toni but not by much however. Was never really dangerous on the night and his finishing just wasn’t up to scratch. He will be hoping to have another go when Italy play Georgia next week.

Subs:

Gattuso- 6.5: Came on for Toni and did a great job in midfield. Hungry, Eager and always ready to close down, win possession and get on with it.

Ref From Goal.com

Italy play Cyprus this Saturday in the opening fixture of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying and all eyes will be on how the Azzurri have improved since their lackluster and fortuitous 2 – 2 draw against Austria in a friendly a few weeks ago.

The Azzurri will take on Cyprus on September 6th and then Georgia on the 10th. They are in group 8 of the World Cup 2010 European qualifying stages alongside the Republic of Ireland, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Georgia. Considering the competition in the group, Italy are considered overwhelming favourites to top the table ahead of the other five teams

Three injured players make their return to the squad in this match, with captain Fabio Cannavaro perhaps the most anticipated of the three. The captain injured his ankle prior to Euro 2008 and had to sit the tournament out. His presence was sorely missed and his return will be a welcome boost for the Azzurri. Luca Toni has also recovered from injury to join the squad for the qualifying double header, and the striker will be keen to put his Euro 2008 performance behind him and start afresh with Italy under Lippi. Alessandro Gamberini has recovered from his injury worries and will be available on the weekend.

Latest team news is that Marco Amelia has a back problem and will be unavailable for the tie against the Cypriots. Coach Marcello Lippi has called in Siena stopper Gianluca Curci as his replacement, slotting into the third goalkeeper spot behind Buffon and De Sanctis.

Striker Alberto Gilardino may get the nod ahead of Luca Toni after the Fiorentina striker has impressed in training at Coverciano. A turn of form has seen the former Milan attacker resurrect his scoring touch in his first few games of the season for the Viola, and the hope is that this will translate into goals for La Nazionale.

Cypriot football is on a high at the moment, after the country’s league winner Anorthosis Famagusta made history by becoming the first Cypriot side to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage. This will surely inspire the players and give them confidence to go into the Italian encounter with a positive attitude. Despite playing away from home in Larnaca, the Azzurri are expected to win comfortably and get the qualifying off to a great start, gaining momentum that will be useful in the midweek game against Georgia.

Peter Pedroncelli - footballitaliano.org