Played
September 6, 2011 2:45 PM EDT
Stadio Artemio Franchi — Firenze
Referee: S. Moen
Attendance: 18000
September 6, 2011 2:45 PM EDT
Stadio Artemio Franchi — Firenze
Referee: S. Moen
Attendance: 18000
Top of the Match
Federico Balzaretti
Italy
Italy
Andrea Pirlo
Italy
Italy
Flop of the Match
Milivoje Novakovic
Slovenia
Slovenia
Robert Koren
Slovenia
Slovenia
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Italy 1-0 Slovenia: Late Giampaolo Pazzini strike seals Euro 2012 qualification for hosts
Cesare Prandelli's men have become the latest country to qualify for next year's European Championship, after a late tactical change culminated in grabbing the all-important winner
By Livio Caferoglu
Getty Images
Italy have qualified for Euro 2012 after a hard-fought 1-0 victory in Florence, thanks to substitute Giampaolo Pazzini's late finish.
La Nazionale had the majority of possession throughout the match, but had nothing to show for its efforts despite having a host of goalscoring opportunities to make their dominance count, mainly through the creative talents of Antonio Cassano, who displayed occasional moments of magic in the first half.
As early as the first minute was a chance developed, but Giuseppe Rossi could only manage the legs of Jasmin Handanovic, after bursting into the box from the right-hand side. Daniele De Rossi was also another guilty party, squirming a number of opportunities in the Slovenian area, including a wayward free header.
Cesare Prandelli's men also had a credible penalty shout waved away midway through the opening 45, after Cassano expertly scooped the ball over the visitors' backline, with Thiago Motta through one-on-one, but the Inter man appeared to have been pulled down as he was about to pull the trigger.
However, it was not all plain-sailing for the hosts, as Slovenia's frequent long-range shooting posed a potential problem. Andraz Kirm and Robert Koren had the best opportunities with stinging attempts, but Gianluigi Buffon inspired confidence between the sticks by being equal each and every time.
The second half begun less frantically, but it proved to be a rather scrappy first part of the 45, with no team coming out on top in the midfield battle that ensued. Suddenly though, the match was thrust back into life after Italy was denied twice off the Slovenian goal-line, as Daniele De Rossi failed to force his header into the net, and Giampaolo Pazzini didn't fare much better with his tap-in.
Prandelli threw on Claudio Marchisio, Giampaolo Pazzini and Mario Balotelli, along with a tactical change to a 4-3-3 system, in one last attempt to salvage the elusive goal to fire them to Poland and Ukraine next year.
Fortunately for the hosts, it came up trumps after Marchisio's floated ball into the box ricocheted off Balotelli at the far post, and Pazzini swiftly struck the ball with conviction to qualify Italy for Euro 2012 as group winners of Group C.
La Nazionale had the majority of possession throughout the match, but had nothing to show for its efforts despite having a host of goalscoring opportunities to make their dominance count, mainly through the creative talents of Antonio Cassano, who displayed occasional moments of magic in the first half.
As early as the first minute was a chance developed, but Giuseppe Rossi could only manage the legs of Jasmin Handanovic, after bursting into the box from the right-hand side. Daniele De Rossi was also another guilty party, squirming a number of opportunities in the Slovenian area, including a wayward free header.
Cesare Prandelli's men also had a credible penalty shout waved away midway through the opening 45, after Cassano expertly scooped the ball over the visitors' backline, with Thiago Motta through one-on-one, but the Inter man appeared to have been pulled down as he was about to pull the trigger.
However, it was not all plain-sailing for the hosts, as Slovenia's frequent long-range shooting posed a potential problem. Andraz Kirm and Robert Koren had the best opportunities with stinging attempts, but Gianluigi Buffon inspired confidence between the sticks by being equal each and every time.
The second half begun less frantically, but it proved to be a rather scrappy first part of the 45, with no team coming out on top in the midfield battle that ensued. Suddenly though, the match was thrust back into life after Italy was denied twice off the Slovenian goal-line, as Daniele De Rossi failed to force his header into the net, and Giampaolo Pazzini didn't fare much better with his tap-in.
Prandelli threw on Claudio Marchisio, Giampaolo Pazzini and Mario Balotelli, along with a tactical change to a 4-3-3 system, in one last attempt to salvage the elusive goal to fire them to Poland and Ukraine next year.
Fortunately for the hosts, it came up trumps after Marchisio's floated ball into the box ricocheted off Balotelli at the far post, and Pazzini swiftly struck the ball with conviction to qualify Italy for Euro 2012 as group winners of Group C.
Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking
Fans' Man of the Match
Fans' Flop of the Match
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fernando Torres Striker Chelsea |
3 | 0 |
|
Cristiano Ronaldo Striker Real Madrid |
3 | 0 |
|
Mario Gomez Striker FC Bayern München |
3 | 0 |
|
Mario Balotelli Striker Milan |
3 | 0 |
|
Mario Mandzukic Striker FC Bayern München |
3 | 0 |
