Italy started their defence of the World Cup in rather better shape than most of their critics in the Italian media suspected. Given the draw between New Zealand and Slovakia the next afternoon in Rustenburg, these two sides will back themselves to make the knockout stages.


However, once more the goalkeepers were at the centre of the drama as first Gianluigi Buffon, one of three members of Marcello Lippi's starting eleven to have begun this game, withdrew with a back injury and then Justo Villar, the Paraguay captain and keeper, handed Daniele de Rossi the equaliser. The Italy defence is not what it once was and Paraguay demonstrated they would use any methods - including some brutal tackling - to stay in the tournament.