World Cup Qualifying - UEFA
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2 vs 0
Played
September 11, 2012 7:45 PM BST
Stadio Alberto Braglia — Modena
Referee:‬ A. Munukka‎
Attendance:‬ 18000‎
 
5′ Mattia Destro
 
90+2′ Federico Peluso
 

Italy - Malta Preview: Prandelli's side look for their first win of qualification against minnows

The Azzurri will host the island nation in Modena, with Roma captain Daniele De Rossi unavailable through injury

By Alex Mott

More On :  Italy, Malta, Italy vs Malta
Mattia Destro - Italy
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  PROBABLE LINEUPS

ITALY

Buffon
Cassani, Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso
Marchisio, Pirlo, Nocerino
 Diamanti
Destro, Osvaldo

MALTA

Hogg
Muscat, Agius, Dimech, Borg
Cohen, Schembri, Sciberras, Fenech
Bogdanovic
Mifsud

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli is likely to opt for a 4-3-1-2 formation on Tuesday against Malta, after the Azzurri played out a nervy 2-2 draw with Bulgaria last Friday, fielding a 3-5-2.

The only forced change Prandelli will have to deal with is the departure of Daniele De Rossi, who limped out of the game in Sofia with a thigh strain. Antonio Nocerino should come in and replace the Roma man, playing alongside Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio.

In defence, Federico Peluso and Mattia Cassani should come in at full-back to replace Christian Maggio and Emanuele Giaccherini. Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci keep their places.

In the trequartista role, Alessandro Diamanti is expected to line up behind the all-Roma pair of Pablo Osvaldo and Mattia Destro.

For Malta, they are expected to name a relatively unchanged team for the side that lost 1-0 to Armenia at the weekend.

The only change coach Pietro Ghedin could make would be to bring Ryan Fenech in for Roderick Briffa in centre midfield.


  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Italy remain sixth in the latest Fifa rankings, whilst Malta are way down in 139th.
  • Roma striker Pablo Osvaldo, who was born in Buenos Aires, scored his first two goals for the Azzurri against Bulgaria on Friday.
  • Tuesday's game will be played at Modena's Alberto Braglia stadium, as a show of solidarity and support for victims of a recent earthquake in the Emilia region of Italy.
  • Italy have played the archipelago nation four times, winning all the ties by a combined score of 15-2.
  • The Azzurri did not lose a single game during their Euro 2012 qualification campaign, sealing qualification with two rounds to spare.
  • Malta are managed by Pietro Ghedin, who between 1996-2004, was the assistant coach of the Italian national team.
  • Striker Michael Mifsud is Malta's leading all-time goalscorer, with 36 goals.
  • The Maltese Falcons lost their last World Cup 2014 qualification match 1-0 at home to Armenia.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Italy 3-0 Malta
    22.37 %
  • Italy 4-0 Malta
    16.89 %
  • Italy 2-0 Malta
    13.38 %
Head to Head
World Cup Qualifying - UEFA ‎(WCQ)‎ Mar 26, 2013 Malta 0 - Italy 2
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World Cup Qualifying - UEFA ‎(WCQ)‎ Sep 11, 2012 Italy 2 - Malta 0
  • Player Ratings
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Last Five Matches
Italy
Mar 26, 2013Malta 0 - Italy 2WCQ
Mar 21, 2013Italy 2 - Brazil 2FR
Feb 6, 2013Netherlands 1 - Italy 1FR
Nov 14, 2012Italy 1 - France 2FR
Oct 16, 2012Italy 3 - Denmark 1WCQ
Malta
Mar 26, 2013Malta 0 - Italy 2WCQ
Mar 22, 2013Bulgaria 6 - Malta 0WCQ
Feb 6, 2013Malta 0 - N. Ireland 0FR
Nov 14, 2012Liechtenstein 0 - Malta 1FR
Oct 12, 2012Czech Rep. 3 - Malta 1WCQ
Odds
Returns: Italy £10.20 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Draw £410.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Malta £5010.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Team News
Available Squads
1Gianluigi BuffonGoalkeeper
15Andrea BarzagliDefender
-Federico Peluso
19Leonardo BonucciDefender
-Mattia Cassani
-Antonio Nocerino
21Andrea PirloMidfielder
8Claudio MarchisioMidfielder
22Alessandro DiamantiMidfielder
-Mattia DestroStriker
9Pablo Daniel OsvaldoStriker
12Morgan De SanctisGoalkeeper
14Salvatore SiriguGoalkeeper
-Angelo Obinze Ogbonna
-Francesco Acerbi
-Andrea PoliMidfielder
2Christian MaggioMidfielder
13Emanuele GiaccheriniMidfielder
-Marco VerrattiMidfielder
-Fabio Borini
-Giampaolo Pazzini
-Lorenzo InsigneStriker
10Sebastian GiovincoStriker
1Andrew HoggGoalkeeper
5Andrei AgiusDefender
-Alex MuscatDefender
16Edward HerreraDefender
6Luke DimechDefender
-Steve BorgDefender
13André SchembriStriker
4Gareth SciberrasMidfielder
8Roderick BriffaMidfielder
7Daniel BogdanovicStriker
9Michael MifsudStriker
12Justin HaberGoalkeeper
-Reuben GauciGoalkeeper
2Jonathan CaruanaDefender
-Ryan CamilleriMidfielder
-Ian AzzopardiDefender
-Edmond AgiusMidfielder
6Ryan FenechMidfielder
11Shaun BajadaMidfielder
14Paul FenechMidfielder
10Andrew CohenStriker
11Etienne BarbaraMidfielder
Players to Watch
Pablo Daniel Osvaldo
Pablo Daniel Osvaldo
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
4 3 0 1
After his goalscoring exploits in Bulgaria, the Roma striker will be looking to add to his international tally against a team who regularly concede plenty of goals.
Michael Mifsud
Michael Mifsud
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
5 0 0 0
The 31-year-old forward is one of the most famous Maltese players of all time, and has a decent strike rate for his nation. If his team are to take anything from this match, Misfud will be required to lead from the front.
Prediction
Despite the disappointment of drawing in Bulgaria, the Azzurri should have no problems seeing off the minnows in a comfortable victory.
Editor's Prediction
Italy 3
Malta 0
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Edin Dzeko Edin Dzeko
Striker
Manchester City 		7 0
Tomer Hemed Tomer Hemed
Striker
Mallorca 		6 0
Mesut Özil Mesut Özil
Midfielder
Real Madrid 		5 2
Wayne Rooney Wayne Rooney
Striker
Man Utd. 		5 1
Robin van Persie Robin van Persie
Striker
Man Utd. 		5 1