A early Antonio Cassano goal gave Italy a 1-0 away victory and with this victory it almost seals their passage to Euro 2012 next summer.

With a the player strike on in Serie A last week, most of the Italy starting XI hasn’t played a competitive match this season and it started to show on later on in the game.
Faroe Islands goalkeeper Rene Torgard within the first thirty seconds. Giuseppe Rossi then wasted two chances in the first ten minutes as firstly Rossi had a weak effort on goal from a Cristian Maggio cross then his second attempt was charged down in the six yard box.  The Azzurri broke the deadlock after the ten minute mark with the only match goal coming from AC Milan’s Cassano.  Andrea Pirlo played a long ball over the top and the AC Milan forward chested and tries to go past the keeper and the ball squirmed under the keeper and Cassano tapped into an empty net. It was a quite freakish goal.

I think most Italian fans were thinking that the floodgates had opened after that goal, but they were disappointed as the Faroe’s then tested the Italian defence on more than one occasion. Suni Olsen unleashed a fantastic effort that cracked the upright and it had Gigi Buffon beaten. Italy had two chances to double their lead before the half time whistle as Daniele De Rossi had a snap left footed shot beaten away by Torgard and Domenico Criscito had his own effort again saved by Torgard between the sticks for the Faroe Islands.

Italy started the second half the brighter side and nearly took the lead after good build up play by Antonio Cassano, Riccardo Montolivo and Giuseppe Rossi, but Rossi effort was saved by the keeper feet. Just before the hour Giampaolo Pazzini was brought on for Giuseppe Rossi and Pazzini first impact on the game was to have an angled header cleared away by the Faroe defence.

The Italy defence played a very dangerous game and were lucky not to concede with just twenty minutes remaining, Hjalgrem Elttor broke down the right and crossed for Christian Holst who hit a fantastic volley that thumped the cross bar and once again Gigi Buffon was beaten. Just moments later Gigi Buffon had to be alert to smother a Pol Justinussen header.

In the final minutes Italy made two changes as Alberto Aquilani and Mario Balotell were brought on to replace Thiago Motta and Antonio Cassano as Italy fitness started to show and the players were looking very tired and leggy.

The Azzurri held on in injury time to claim an very unconvincing victory over Brian Kerr’s spirited Faroe Islands squad team. With the powerhouses of Germany and Holland winning 6-2 and 11-0, Italy can respectively think of what it could have been but instead they struggled to a 1-0 win against a lowly team. Italy needs to be more clinical in front of goal.

Italy will faceoff against Slovenia Tuesday afternoon and can assure themselves Euro qualification with a win.