意大利准备扑灭威尔士的攻势
中文译文
本周六,意大利将在主场迎战威尔士,进行欧洲杯2000预选赛第一组的一场比赛,力求重回正轨。
意大利队将于下周三再次出战对阵瑞士,此前他们本有望轻松晋级明年的决赛圈,但3月主场1-1战平白俄罗斯的惨痛平局终结了球队的三连胜。
迪诺·佐夫麾下的这支队伍需要在达拉拉球场将那场失利以及近期频发的伤病问题抛诸脑后,该球场也是意大利国家橄榄球队的主场。
后卫亚历山德罗·内斯塔和詹卢卡·佩索托、中场迪诺·巴乔,以及组织核心兼前锋弗朗切斯科·托蒂均因伤缺阵。
不过,威尔士主帅鲍比·古尔德若以为佐夫周六晚将难以排出阵容,那便是大错特错——尽管如果训练中再有球员受伤,这位意大利教头确实会陷入困境。
世界杯名将克里斯蒂安·维埃里和尤文图斯的菲利波·因扎吉将领衔锋线,罗马队极具潜力的新援文森佐·蒙特拉有望从替补席上迎来国家队首秀。
尤文图斯队长安东尼奥·孔蒂和AC米兰的德梅特里奥·阿尔贝蒂尼将镇守中场中路,左路由埃乌塞比奥·迪·弗朗西斯科出任,右路则是迪耶戈·富塞尔——他和维埃里一样,曾在安菲尔德攻破过威尔士的球门。
拉齐奥队友保罗·内格罗将顶替内斯塔,与法比奥·卡纳瓦罗搭档后防,队长保罗·马尔蒂尼照例镇守左路,即将转会国际米兰的克里斯蒂安·帕努奇则镇守右路。
“我预料到会有困难,但没想到会多到这种程度,”一向谨慎的佐夫表示。“这完全是一场紧急状况。但抱怨毫无意义,我们只能直面现实。”
审视着自己的阵容,他承认:“这些都是经验丰富的球员。现在确实不是面对这种重要比赛的最佳时机。但我们心知肚明,会尽力寻找合适的应对之策。”
维埃里和因扎吉在场下是挚友,但在4月对阵克罗地亚的友谊赛中双双颗粒无收后,他们需要将这份默契转化为进球。
“如果我们俩都能进球,那简直太棒了,”因扎吉说道,“这是我们目前的梦想,也因为这将使意大利更接近晋级世界杯。”
维埃里补充道:“这对我们两人来说都是一次重要的考验,对整个球队也是如此。这是一场我们必须赢下的比赛,无论采取什么手段。到底是谁把球踢进网窝其实并不重要。”
由于意大利队与白俄罗斯队战平,积分为10分,威尔士队仍保留着晋级决赛圈的一线希望。
目前威尔士队积6分排名第三,落后瑞士队1分。在苏黎世失利后,球队展现出了顽强的斗志。
前锋约翰·哈特森坚定地表示:“比赛还没结束,我们仍有机会晋级。虽然大家都非常失望,但我们都决心在接下来的两场比赛中扭转局面。”
Italiano 原文
Italy ready to douse Welsh fire
Italy will be looking to get their Euro 2000 campaign back on the straight and narrow here on Saturday, when they host Wales in a Group 1 qualifier.
Italy, who turn out again next Wednesday against Switzerland, looked to be cruising to next year's finals until a humiliating 1-1 draw at home to Belarus in March ended a three-match winning run.
Dino Zoff's squad need to put both that disappointment and a recent rash of injuries behind them at the Dall'Ara stadium, which the team share with Italy's national rugby union squad.
Defenders Alessandro Nesta and Gianluca Pessotto, midfielder Dino Baggio, and playmaker/striker Francesco Totti have all been ruled out through injury.
However, Wales coach Bobby Gould would be wrong to think Zoff will be struggling to put out a team here on Saturday night, though the Italian could be in trouble if any more pull up in training.
World Cup ace Christian Vieri and Juventus' Filippo Inzaghi will lead the attack, with Roma's highly promising new signing Vincenzo Montella hoping to make his international debut from the subs' bench.
Juventus skipper Antonio Conte and AC Milan's Demetrio Albertini will hold the central midfield, with Eusebio Di Francesco on the left and Diego Fuser, who like Vieri scored against Wales at Anfield, on the right.
Lazio teammate Paolo Negro should replace Nesta at the back alongside Fabio Cannavaro, with captain Paolo Maldini as usual on the left and Inter-bound Christian Panucci on the right.
"I expected to have problems, but not as many as this," said the ever-prudent Zoff. "This is a full emergency. But there's no point complaining, we just have to face up to it."
And looking over his squad, he admitted: "These are all experienced players. It certainly isn't the best time to be facing important matches like this. But we know that and we'll try to find the right counter-measures."
Vieri and Inzaghi are best friends off the pitch, but need to turn that rapport into goals after firing blanks against Croatia in a friendly in April.
"It would be just amazing if we could both score a goal," said Inzaghi. "It's the dream we have at the moment, also because it would move Italy closer to qualifying for the championships."
Vieri added: "This is an important test for both of us, but also for the team as a whole. This is a match we have to win, by whatever means. It doesn't really matter who knocks the ball home."
Thanks to Italy's draw with Belarus, which left them with 10 points, Wales still have a glimmer of hope of reaching the finals.
Currently third on six points, one point behind the Swiss, there was fighting talk after their defeat in Zurich.
Defiant striker John Hartson said: "It's not all over, we can still qualify. Everyone is really disappointed but also determined to put it right in the next two games."