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World Cup Qualifying (Euro) Group Five Preview: Italy target qualification [Fri Sep 2nd, 2005]
The Azzurri could be edging closer to the World Cup with a positive result in Scotland.
Three important matches will take place this weekend in Group Five of the World Cup European Qualifiers as Italy visit Scotland, Slovenia host Norway and Belarus travel to Moldova.
With a positive result, especially a win, Marcello Lippi’s side could virtually book a place in the 2006 World Cup. However they will have to face a Scottish side which the Azzurri have always failed to defeat away from home, therefore the home team will be counting on tradition to help them stop Italy.
A draw or defeat will most likely see Scotland out of the race for the second place in the group, so the team will target a win.
Italy cannot afford to lose and that is why Lippi has opted for a three-man attack, as Totti, Gilardino and Vieri will spearhead the Azzurri to take back home the three points while waiting for good news to come from the direct encounter between Slovenia and Norway.
In fact, from this match we will know which team will keep on challenging the Azzurri for the first spot, or probably more realistically, which team will have the upper hand in the race for the second place. Slovenia obviously start as the favourites thanks to the home advantage, but Norway will be a tough nut to crack. A draw would be the result the Italian side will be hoping for from this match.
In the last game of the group, Belarus will be hoping to clinch all three points against lowly Moldova. A win for the visitors would put them back in chance for the second spot of the group, but any other result would rule them out of any realistic possibility of reaching their target.
Italy 13
Slovenia 9
Norway 9
Belarus 7
Scotland 6
Moldova 2
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