By Chris Wright
Due to a slight editorial mix-up on my part we haven’t featured an awful lot of the 2013 Confederations Cup on Pies over the last week or so, but rest assured that’s about to change – with round-by-round reviews from the skilled quill of our good friend Greg Evans about to come at you thick and fast. Until then you’ll have to make do with my inane rambling.
Anyway, last night came the game of the tournament so far as Japan and Italy went at it in true ding-dong style, with the Azzurri somehow coming out as 4-3 victors despite being on the back foot for roughly 82.333…% of the match.
It all kicked off when Gigi Buffon conceded a penalty (wrongly, we should coco) despite clearly getting some of the ball in the act of cleaning out Shinji Okazaki in an attempt to mop up Mattia De Sciglio’s limp backpass. As far was we’re concerned: no foul, no penalty. Gigi was suitably bewildered by the decision, hopping around the referee with his eyes bulging out of his head.
Keisuke Honda stuck away the spot-kick with Shinji Kagawa adding a beautiful second as Japan dominated the first-half, before Daniele “one sleeve” De Rossi thundered a header in to make the score 2-1 just before half-time.
The Azzurri came out of the traps and pulled back another couple of goals in the first eight minutes of the second half, with Atsuto Uchida own goal and another wrongly-awarded Mario Balotelli penalty putting Prandelli’s men 3-2 up with an hour or so gone.
Japan got their arses in gear again and levelled through Okazaki’s header, hitting the woodwork twice in two seconds before Italy’s two late substitutes Sebastian Giovinco and Claudio Marchisio combined for the 86th-minute winner – the Atomic Ant steering home a tap-in from five yards out.
Wow.
Photos…
Selected GIFs, starting with Buffon’s debatable penalty concession…
Kagawa’s lovely on-the-spin goal…
Japan agonisingly hit the post and crossbar within seconds of each other…
Full highlights…
J_I footyroom.com by footyroom
(Photos: PA)