Match Report: England 1 Italy 2 Balotelli bursts English optimism

England’s World Cup campaign suffered an immediate setback as they slipped to a narrow defeat to Italy.

Daniel Sturridge equalised Claudio Marchisio’s goal in the first half before a familiar foe settled matters with Mario Balotelli heading a50th minutewinner.

There was plenty to admire in England’s play but they paid a high price for defensive sloppiness.

It now means they will have to take the hard route to the last 16 in the next two matches but they should still fancy their chances of beating Uruguay and Costa Rica.

Roy Hodgson had gone for a bold line-up with Raheem Sterling being chosen over Adam Lallana, as they tried to get on the front foot.

The hope was to use the teenager’s electric pace and that nearly paid dividends almost straight away as Sterling showed no fear as he ran with purpose at the Italian backline.

He unleashed a fierce 25-yard strike that whistled into the side netting, which some parts of the ground thought had gone in.

Italian goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, standing in for first-choice Gianluigi Buffon, was soon called into action when he was forced to parry Jordan Henderson’s drive.

In an eventful start, Andrea Pirlo appealed for a penalty when he lifted the ball against Glen Johnson’s arm, but it would have been a harsh decision.

England were so close to taking the lead midway through the half as Welbeck burst into the area.

His cross was aimed for Sturridge to tap in, but somehow Andrea Barzagli’s desperate sliding touch lifted the ball over Sturridge and just beyond the far post.

However, things really exploded into life with two goals in the space of three minutes.

England were undone by a short corner as the ball was worked back towards Pirlo, who executed a glorious dummy.

That allowed Marchisio to take aim from deep and his shot fairly whistled past Joe Hart into the bottom corner.

However, the response was emphatic. Sterling played an incisive ball into the left channel for Wayne Rooney and he provided the perfect cross for Sturridge to gleefully half-volley home from close range.

But the Azzurri were twice close to going in front on the stroke of half time. First, Balotelli was slipped in by Pirlo and although he was partially held up by Hart, it took a fantastic header off the line by Phil Jagielka to keep out the former Manchester City man’s impudent chip. From the resulting corner, Candreva found space inside the box and squeezed a shot against the foot of the post.

The attacking intent from both sides continued after the break with Sturridge forcing Sirigu into a sprawling save from his low shot.

Yet, England found themselves behind for a second time as Candreva cut inside Leighton Baines and delivered a teasing cross to the back post, where Balotelli had peeled away from his marker and he planted his header firmly past Hart.

English fans were screaming for a penalty soon after when Steven Gerrard went down under contact from Gabriel Paletta but nothing was given.

Rooney had a golden chance to equalise when he was picked out by Baines inside the box, but he shot wide of the near post with everyone expecting to see the net bulge.

By this stage, Ross Barkley had been sent on and he was immediately involved, with Sirigu getting down to save the 20-year-old’s low curling shot.

Hodgson threw on Jack Wilshere and Lallana, but the heat and humidity of Manaus began to take effect and the side ran out of ideas.

Pirlo almost wrapped things up for the Italians with a fantastic swerving 30-yard free-kick that struck the crossbar but the points were secure.

Now, the job for England is to quickly put this defeat to bed as preparation begins for Thursday’s showdown in Sao Paulo against the Uruguayans.

England (4-2-3-1): Hart; Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines; Gerrard, Henderson (Wilshere 73); Welbeck (Barkley 61), Rooney, Sterling; Sturridge (Lallana 80).

Italy (4-3-2-1): Sirigu; Darmian, Barzagli, Paletta, Chiellini; De Rossi, Verratti (Motta 57), Pirlo; Candreva (Parolo 79), Marchisio; Balotelli (Immobile 73).

Referee: B. Kuipers (Holland)