Manaus: Mario Balotelli’s second-half header earned Italy a 2-1 victory over an enterprising England side in an engaging World Cup Group ‘D’ opener in Manaus on Saturday. Amid muggy conditions in the Amazon rainforest city, Claudio Marchisio drilled Italy in front in the 35th minute, only for Daniel Sturridge to equalise two minutes later. With 19-year-old Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling to the fore, England displayed plenty of endeavour, but they were ultimately undone by Balotelli’s goal shortly after half-time.
England seemed to be building up a head of steam, but perhaps emboldened by their fortune, Italy went ahead. Following a short corner on the right, Andrea Pirlo cleverly dummied a pass from Marco Verratti for Marchisio, who exploited oceans of space to steady himself and drive a shot into the bottom-left corner from 20 yards.Within two minutes England were level thanks to a goal of delightful simplicity. Raheem Sterling’s glorious pass released Wayne Rooney on the left and the Manchester United man dispatched a delicately weighted left-foot cross that Sturridge crashed home on the half-volley.
After Sirigu had parried a low strike from Sturridge, in the 50th minute Candreva cut inside Leighton Baines with embarrassing ease on the Italy right and crossed for Balotelli to nod his side ahead from close range.Prandelli stiffened his midfield by introducing Thiago Motta in place of Verratti, while Hodgson pitched Everton youngster Ross Barkley into the fray as England went in search of an equaliser.
Steven Gerrard was denied a penalty following a body-check by Gabriel Paletta, before Rooney lashed wide and Sirigu saved from Barkley and Baines, but as the game wore on and the humidity began to weigh even more heavily, so England faded. Pirlo even came close to inflating Italy’s lead with a languidly struck injury-time free-kick, but the ball hit the bar.
