At the start of tournament, most notably, everyone circled this Group B fixture between Brazil and Italy. This was expected to be a very close game because of the defence-minded Italian's, who may be able to shutdown the high-flying attacking Brazilians. Unfortunately, for manager Marcello Lippi's team suffered a crushing defeat to head coach Dunga's side, which outclassed the Azzuri with their fluid sharp-passing and fatal finishing.
This was an obvious star-studded affair at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the capital of South Africa, Tshwane-Pretoria, routed the Italian's to a 3-0 victory. As the somewhat of a mini-World Cup tournament say's Arriverderci (or Goodbye) to the World Cup champions.
Inside three minutes, Maicon and Fabiano link-up extremely well down the right, with Inter Milan defender's one-time looping strike floats inches wide of the top-left corner. Veteran defender Gianluca Zambrotta, 32, hustled back although was relieved that the linesman flagged the Brazilian offside.
Precisely three minutes after, Fabiano again involved in this attack as the Sevilla FC midfielder bursts unchallenged straight down the heart of Italian's defence. Providing the onrushing Ramires, chipping shot rattles off the crossbar.
Robinho, 25, layoff pass for Kaka, as the megastar fires a powerful strike that was well-blocked by the experienced defender Fabio Cannavaro, who put his body on the line.The Manchester City striker on the prowl again, with a dashing run down the centre of the Azzuri defence, releasing well-struck driven shot that was routinely snatched by Buffon.
Maicon delivers a fine cross into the penalty area, from the right detecting Fabian, who rose higher than everyone and flashing his header wide in the 30th minute.
Defender Lucio, 31, with two glorious opportunities to score, with the longtime representative and true class of Brazilian football was playing the role of striker. The Bayern Munich man's first crack at goal, smoothly skipping past two Italian's and firing his strike deflecting off midfielder Daniele De Rossi and resulted in a corner. The centre-back send effort generously fell nicely for him, releasing a driving strike from close-range that was expertly stopped by the Italian keeper.
Seven minutes later, Fabiano's low piercing shot rolls right into the bottom far-left corner, after gather the ball from Maicon's effort on goal.
Fabiano doubles the score, exactly five minutes following his first goal. The impressive striker waited patiently to receive the ball at the end of the Brazilian's well-worked one-touch passing build-up. Robinho darting dash down the middle, providing Kaka squares the pass across the goal, with the Sevilla striker flaring shot flies past Buffon.
Azzuri's had two uncharacteristic defensive lapses, moments before the end of the first- half.
Robihno was allowed to run with the ball freely from midfield, and then found Kaka, who he then crosses to the far-post with Fabiano calmly slotting his strike in the back of the net. The second mistake that the Italians perpetrated, was allowing the dangerous Robinho acres of space down the left. Attempt to pass it across for his trailing teammate, was unluckily redirected past the keeper by defender Andrea Dossena, whose own goal put the Brazilian's up 3-0 at the end of the half.
Within the first 16th minute of the restart, the high-tempo atmosphere set by the Samba Boys considerably backed off from moving forward.
Whereas, the Italian's on the other hand, from 60-65th minute put the men in yellow under pressure with a handful of chances, but no success.
Italy's first chance transpired from the substitute high-praise gifted striker Giuseppe Rossi, 22, let's fly a screamer from distance, which Cesar was comfortably ballooning the ball outward from the area.
The Azzuri went on the attack again, but this time it came from the left-flank with Dossena sending in a low driven cross finding Gilardinho delicately taps goalward, which was easily held by the keeper.
Lippi's side, again, was pinning Brazil in their end of the pitch, as Rossi unleashing another powerful long range strike, but this time, from the left. The Villarreal player attempt seemed sure of heading into the top-left corner. Unfortunately for both him and his nation, it was stopped by the palms of the Brazilian stopper.
On 75th minute, substitute striker Alberto Gilardino and Cesar both made a run for the loose ball on the left-hand side. The Fiorentina star shrugged off the Brazilian keeper, passing it behind him for the trailing De Rossi, who then gives the ball to striker Simeone Pepe, 26, letting a cracking shot that was well-blocked by a Brazilian defender.
Dunga, again is the reason why the Italian's are expelled from an international competition. The ex-midfielder for the Brazilian national team played against the Azzuri in the 1994 WC USA finals.