Spain v Italy - Minute by Minute

Pre Match:  This should be a classic, the last 2 World Cup winners head to head and the winners will have one foot in the quarter finals.  Spain are clear favourites and are arguably the greatest international side ever assembled. Italy are in disarray with injuries, match fixing and even an earthquake disrupting their build up.  But (and it's a big but) the Italians often thrive on adversity and they still have players of the calibre of Pirlo and Buffon to call upon.
I'm predicting a narrow 2-1 victory for Spain.


Teams
Spain Casillas; Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Alba; Alonso, Busquets; Silva, Xavi, Iniesta; Fabregas
Italy  Buffon; Bonucci, De Rossi, Chiellini; Maggio, Motta, Giaccherini, Pirlo, Marchisio; Cassano, Balotelli


So Spain are going for the Scottish patented "none up front" formation.  Expect Fabregas to be the most advanced player but Silva and Iniesta will interchange with him.  
Italy, by contrast, have gone for 2 upfront, a sweeper and wing backs.  All very 90's of them.


ITV's panel are sitting in a square in Poznan talking about Balotelli, England, Ireland and not much else.


4.55pm  The teams come out. The stadium looks great.  The Italian anthem is as stirring as ever and we're all set to go.  This is my first ever stab at writing a MBM, so I'm a tad worried about how I'll manage.  


1 min tap tap tap tap tap.  Spain start as they mean to go on and win an early corner but it comes to nothing.  Italy look somewhat less comfortable in possession (doesn't everyone) and Spain quickly get it back for more tap tap tap.


4 min An outrageous back hell from Pirlo starts of a promising Italy attack that ends with Maggio getting upended by Alba. Pirlo sends in the 465th rubbish cross of the competition so far.


6 Mins The debutant Giaccherini wins a corner for Italy but Pirlo is wasteful again.  I'm glad I'm not doing this for any Group A games as it'd take me most of the half to type out the names!


8 Mins  Wonderful passing from the Spanish front 4 ends with another corner.  ilva fires narrowly over from outside the box.  Signs that Spain are moving up a gear.


10 Mins  Balotelli tries his luck from miles out and wins a corner.  Pirlo wastes it yet again.  He's so much better than that.


12 Mins  Balotelli makes a wayward header and Spain come charging forward but Silva fires straight at Buffoon.  Should have done better.  Game is warming up nicely.  Cassano wins a FK on the edge of the area and it's a great chance for Pirlo.


13 Mins Who forces a decent save from Casillias.  Good game so far, Italy are looking dangerous.


14 Mins  Tap tap tap, but Italy hold firm.  Maybe a striker would help! 


17 Mins  Motta gets stubbed in the shoulder (!) and there's a delay whilst he gets treatment.  I check the Test score.


19 Mins  Pirlo is inches away from putting Cassano in with a lovely throughball. Pirlo still looks a class act...apart from taking corners!


21 Mins  Cassano is played in and Balotelli is a foot away from converting the resultant cross/shot.  Great play from the Azzuri.  I've got a Germany/Spain win double riding on this game.  Get Llorente on!


25 Mins  Inieata bursts through but his drive is blocked.  


27 Mins It's gone a bit flat. Not Gillingham away at Macclesfield flat (God that was a dull game) but flat enough for a Mexican Wave to start.


29 Mins  Iniesta is by far the best of the Spanish attacking players. He draws a good save from Buffoon with a fierce angled drive.  Silva is flirting in and out of the game whilst Fabregas has been poor.


31 Mins  Italy give it away cheaply, but Spain fail to capitalise.  Casillias spills a shot frmo Cassano, which just fails to fall to Balotelli. Mario responds by repeatedly punching the turf!


35 Mins  Fabregas is having a mare "up front".  Partly because he's not a striker!  Marchisio hits a wonderful long range volley that's just too close to the keeper. Wonderful hit.


36 Mins Balotelli gets booked for his 56th(ish) foul. None of them are bad but the refs patience runs out.


38 Mins Tap x5.  Again Spain fail to get through the middle of the Italian defence.  


40 Mins  Del Bosque really has got a massive head. The Italian back 3 has been outstanding so far.  


42 Mins  Yet more lovely tiki taka ends with Fabregas winning a corner, which comes to nothing.


44 Mins  Lovely pass from Xavi, but Iniesta's flick up and volley goes over.  Would have been a great goal.
Moments later Casillias makes a wonderful save from a Motta header.


Half Time ITV seem to think it was a bit dull.  Personally I really enjoyed it.  Plenty of good moves, chances and a wonderful save from Casillias at the end.  Italy look a good side, whilst Spain only know one way to play.  


46 Mins  We're off again.  Italy play some nice possession football but it amounts to nothing.


49 Mins  Lovely play from Spain and Fabregas draw a good save from Buffon.  Shortly after, Xavi fires wide form distance.  Spain are gently tapping at the door.


50 Mins More magic from Iniesta and a low shot is brilliantly saved from Buffon.  The tap is getting louder.  


53 Mins  Unbelievable from Baloteilli, he robs Ramos, bears down on goal, then waits an eternity before letting Ramos get back to nick the ball back. Awful miss from Mario. Cassano was also in space and would have had a good chance. 


55 Mins  Mario is hauled off for Di Natale.  Decent game from Balotelli but that miss will haunt him if Spain go on and win.


59 Mins GOAL!!! Wonderful play from Pirlo puts in Di Natale who finishes beautifully. Lovely goal all round.


60 Mins  Nice drive from Iniesta but straight at Buffon.


62 Mins  GOAL! 1-1. Lovely play from the Spanish, perfect reverse ball from Silva and Fabregas dinks it over Buffon. Woof! Silva's reward is to be subbed for Navas!


66 Mins Quiet passage of play after the 2 goals.


69 Mins Lovely tap tap tap from Spain, Navas's cross is deflected onto the roof of the net.


72 Mins Navas is giving Spain more width but can't deliver the killer cross.  Torres is warming up, lazy jokes  are being aired on Twitter.  Alba volleys just wide from a Navas cross.


73 mins Torres comes on for Fabregas.  And has an immediate one on one after Italy mess up the offside trap....which he fluffs so badly that Buffon just tackles him like a defender.  Poor from Fernando.


75 Mins  So close from Di Natale,  he volleys a tough chance just wide after a great cross from the sub Giovinco.  


78 Mins  Iniesta wins a free kick on the edge of the area after picking up a dire pass from Torres.  Straight into the wall from Xavi. 


81 Mins  Torres is in again, but hesitates badly...and then messes up his cut back to Navas.  To add to the Chelsea player's misery, he is then booked for allegedly raising his arm.


84 Mins  Amazing, Torres is through again, goes for the lob...and you know the rest.  Llorente must be fuming on the bench. 


86 Mins  Italy are hanging on a bit now, Spain are finding holes in the defence but the chances keep falling to Torres. Navas drills one across goal that is easily cut out by Buffon.  


87 Mins  Wonderful run from Marcissio, 121 with Motta, but his shot is straight at the keeper.  would have been a wonderful winner.  Motta comes off for Nocherino.  Good game from Motta.


90 Mins  Nice run from Torres but his cut back is cut out.  Alonso then drills wide form distance after more lovely build up play. 


All over, a great second half. And just about a fair result.  Spain had plenty of chances towards the end but Torres looks a shadow of his former self.  Italy look good and will fancy their chances against Croatia and the Irish.  
Iniesta, De Rossi, Chellini, both keepers, Xavi, Alba, Pirlo and Marcissio all had good games. Pirlo and Iniesta especially - you can't beat a midfielder playmaker.
Ireland Croatia next, I'm going for a 1-1 draw.  I'll be writing an Irish perspective of the game which will probably be posted tomorrow afternoon.  I need a break now - minute by minute is pretty hard work!