U.S. v Italy LIVE

The line-ups will be up in about 30 minutes, with kickoff between the USMNT and world champs Italy set for 1:30 CT. As with last time, I will time-stamp in CT until kickoff, mainly because no matter how hard I try to use ET, I end up thinking automatically in CT - a glitch for my hometown, if you will.

We are still awaiting word from Carlos Bocanegra's fitness test, but we do have a new four-layer Studio 90 edition.

Back in a bit...

12.19 PM - By the way, you can now follow the latest NSC posts on Facebook. On that note: I don't accept friend adds from people I don't know, but you guys have my email if you need to either holla or holler at me.

12.30 PM - Via the USMNT Twitter (I still won't do it!):

USA Lineup (4-4-2) Howard; Spector, DeMerit, Gooch, Bornstein; Feilhaber, Bradley, Clark, Dempsey; Donovan, Altidore

Hmm, I have a few concerns. Back in a moment with Italy's.

Also, in my Top 5 List, I mentioned that Bob Bradley should definitely be sure to dress both left backs, completely forgetting that all 23 dress for this tourney. Dur.

12.36 PM - Italy's eleven:

Buffon; Zambrotta, Chiellini, Legrottaglie, Grosso, Pirlo, Camoranesi, Gattuso, De Rossi, Gilardino, Iaquinta

Okay, prediction time... I'm going with... hmmm....... a 2-2 draw.

12.40 PM - Almost forgot, USMNT match notes.

12.46 PM - I've just received an email chuckle over my prediction. Face it, man, I'm on a roll!

1.23 PM - The teams are out of the tunnel, kickoff after the anthems...

1.26 PM - Donovan has either fallen asleep standing up or he's really intently focused.

1.27 PM - Unsurprisingly, the Dutch broadcast has laid the USMNT selection graphic out in a 4-3-3. And also Italy. Neither is in one, of course. You know how it goes.

--

1'

Italy kick off, game on...

1'

The Dutch announcer suspects Gooch is headed to Fulham. More interestingly, he is lined up on the left central spot.

2'

Zambrotta with room to cross, but it's poor and Gooch stoops to clear.

4'

Jozy splits two to come out of the corner, but then has his pocket picked from behind.

5'

The U.S. are fouling early and often.

7'

DeMerit wins a hearty challenge, and a foul, from Camoranesi in midfield. He looks into this one.

8'

Another U.S. free kick, closer in and on the left. Donovan serves... short for Dempsey, whose long shot is awry. Urgh. Put it in the box!

10'

Donovan slow to get up after sparking a rush that falls apart near the box.

11'

LaGrottaglie was booked a moment earlier for the kick on Donovan, by the way.

11'

A bad angle Camoranesi shot is way off. Then, Bornstein gets forward for a deep cross, but it's over everyone.

13'

A very speculative long, low drive from Gilardino is handled easily by Timmy.

14'

Grosso slips past Spector, who eventually recovers after help arrives. The U.S. spacing in the back half has been good so far.

15'

Jozy takes a Gooch long lob nicely, but he's offside.

16'

Onyewu nods away a dangerous Camoranesi cross for Gilardino.

19'

The defensive players on each end are having their way right now.

20'

Bornstein booked for tugging on Camoranesi when he absolutely didn't have to. The resulting long Pirlo serve from the flank is nodded well wide by Legrottaglie from a great position. Oof! Spector last track of him and he was wide open.

23'

Legrottaglie dumps Dempsey late. He'll probably be on high alert for a red before long.

24'

Bradley steals, outlets to Donovan, then takes a return slip pass in the area, but his lefty shot is weak and easily dealt with by Buffon. He'll want that one back.

28'

Italy corner, Iaquinta nods softly to Howard from about 15, falling away from goal.

30'

Donovan with another probing entry pass, this time Jozy totally flubs his shot - from the same location as Bradley. It literally squibbed sideways. That should have looked much different.

31'

Gilardino is prowling the U.S. area, but Onyewu recovers to pick his pocket on the chalk.

32'

Long Pirlo free kick knocked away by Howard. Then, an Italy corner is cut short by a Gattuso foul.

33'

Clark gets an unbelievable red card for catching Gattuso's knee. Dude cannot be serious.

35'

Donovan elbowed in the mouth by Grosso chasing a long ball. Only yellow. Erm...

The resulting free kick is from about 26 out, slightly right... he fires it over.

37'

Bornstein loses track of Zambrotta, but his cross is once again poor, and once again Gooch escorts it away.

38'

By the way, the USMNT are now in a flat 4-4-1

39'

Bornstein appears to commit an own goal, carving a long pass for Camoranesi past the mobile Howard, but the flag is correctly up.

40'

On the loose again, Altidore held by Chiellini and a soft PK is given. Donovan does his routine and... wrong-ways Buffon! 1-0 USA!

41'

Onyewu clears a Grosso cross. On the next cross, Iaquinta is called for an awry bicycle attempt high boot.

42'

Bradley stings the hands of Buffon from distance, but he is able to grab it on the bounce.

44'

Zambrotta fires well over from long range off of a constructed free kick that starts on the flank.

45'

Two minutes added time begins.

45+2'

Italy corner kick knocked away by Gooch, and Zambrotta fires the clearance waaaay over on the volley.

HALFTIME

Well, we've kinda seen this movie before, (super gravitas movie trailer guy voice) except this time... it's different. Watch for Lagrottaglie to get sent off in the second half, I wish I could bet on it. As for the U.S., Onyewu, Bradley and Donovan have been the top performers. I'm thinking we may see Torres come on for Benny at some point and I'd bet Davies will be a later sub.

--

46'

Game on...

The Dutch announcer feels both the red card and the PK decision were excessive. I agree.

48'

Italy come up empty on successive corners.

49'

DeMerit strips Iaquinta as he tries to break in alone.

52'

Dempsey works out of a tangle near the Italy area, but they cut off his return slip pass from Benny.

53'

Zambrotta throws Jozy to the ground over his back. Free kick on the left, Donovan to serve... it's cleared to Spector, who has his long try blocked away at the source.

56'

Another Italy corner, Iaquinta nods it well wide.

Camoranesi leaves for the lively Montolivo, while Gattuso departs for Giuseppe Rossi. The Azzurri are now in an atypical 4-3-3.

59'

An ill-advised pass through traffic from Dempsey sees Benny lose the ball - and a few seconds later, Rossi buries a stunning equalizer from nearly 30. Italy are even, 1-1.

62'

The seventh Italy corner kick is cleared by Dempsey.

63'

Is it just me or did Rossi look just a little too happy in celebration?

66'

Donovan does well on the ball to relieve some pressure.

Davies is on for the clearly knackered Altidore.

68'

Iaquinta narrowly misses with a stab shot, then Howard has to block away a long Pirlo blast. The pitch is fully tilted now.

69'

Toni replaces Gilardino. Lippi wants this game.

A long Pirlo free kick serve is blocked by the wall.

71'

DMB set to come on...

72'

Just after DeMerit handles Toni on a Montolivo cross, De Rossi fires a long screen shot bouncer last Howard and inside the far post. 2-1 Italy. The keeper couldn't see it until it was in on him and he was late over.

Beasley on for Feilhaber.

74'

Italy corner kick eventually cleared by the combo of Bornstein and Bease.

79'

Howards calmly handles a Montolivo drive from distance.

80'

Long Dempsey shot give Buffon more trouble than you'd have thought, but he smothers it on the bounce.

81'

Bradley diagonal ball unleashes Davies on the right. Dempsey passes up a shot (when he shouldn't have) to give back to Davies, who crosses far post. Legrottaglie completely bowls over Donovan, and no call. That was a more convincing (and stupid) foul than Chiellini's.

84'

The 4,317th Italy corner kick is nodded well over by Chiellini.

85'

Kljestan is set to enter...

86'

... for Bornstein.

88'

Toni heads directly at Howard.

With the U.S. pushing forward well, Kljestan send a screaming dipper just over the bar from over 25.

90'

Beasley wins the first USMNT corner by running the flank. Donovan's serve finds Davies in prime position, but he nods well over.

90+1'

Four minutes added time starts with Howard stuffing a Rossi try up close.

90+2'

Long Gooch throw bounces through, with no one able to get on it.

On the counter, Toni is stopped by a big, onrushing Howard wall.

90+3'

Pirlo makes a sick spin to beat DeMerit on the flank line, works to the endline and lobs in a left cross for Rossi to run onto - 3-1 Italy.

FULLTIME

Gee... I really would have liked to have seen the game we were meant to see. The ref mangled it. All the assorted videos up later and my Player Ratings will be up over at S365 by the time you fine folks wake up tomorrow. Thanks for hanging out today, NSC will be back with another LIVE for the Brazil match.

UPDATE: With another angle at my disposal, the Chiellini call wasn't quite as soft as I originally thought.

UPDATE UPDATE: ESPN highlights and reaction...






- Greg Seltzer