Italy v Cyprus Live

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After booking their spot at next year’s World Cup with a 2-2 draw against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin, world champions Italy finish their qualifying engagements against lowly Cyprus at the Stadio Ennio Tardini this Wednesday. Sign up with Ole Ole Football and watch Italy vs Cyprus live as it happens.

Italy fell behind at Croke Park thanks to a well worked set piece from the hosts. Instead of taking the free kick, debutant Liam Lawrence passed the ball to Glenn Whelan, who let loose an unstoppable shot from just outside the box to leave Gigi Buffon stunned. Italy were back on level terms eighteen minutes later when Mauro Camoranesi rose to meet playmaker Andrea Pirlo’s corner

The world champions were stunned when Sean St.Ledger headed Ireland ahead on 87 minutes, but Alberto Gilardino came to their rescue. Italy broke down the left and Vincenzo Iaquinta passed the ball to Fiorentina hit man Gilardino, who made it 2-2 with a side footed finish. The result gave the Azzurri automatic qualification, and Ireland will now have to go through the lottery of the playoffs.

In front of a sparse crowd in Larnaca, Cyprus crushed Bulgaria 4-1 on Saturday. Constaninos Charalambides’ first half brace put Cyprus 2-0 ahead at the break. Dimitar Berbatov pulled one back for Bulgaria early in the second half, but goals from Michalis Konstantinou and Efstathios Aloneftis gave the home side a 4-1 win.

Cyprus ran Italy close when the two sides met in September 2008. Antonio Di Natale put Italy ahead in the eighth minute, only for Aloneftis to equalise twenty minutes later. However Di Natale grabbed a winner in the second minute of injury time to break Cypriot hearts.

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