Building brick for Lippi

FIFA Confederations Cup
USA v Italy

Marcelo Lippi has identified the Confederations Cup as a building brick upon which Italy can construct solid foundations ahead of their World Cup title defence back in South Africa next year.

And the man who crafted the Azzurri's 2006 World Cup win will be anxious to see the first stone safely laid along the path to 2010 against the United States in the country's state capital on Monday.

In what is their debut appearance in this traditional World Cup dress rehearsal, the Italians limbered up for their Group B opener with a 4-3 reverse to Group A competitors New Zealand on Wednesday.

Lippi may have picked an experimental side for that encounter in Pretoria, yet the leaking of three goals for a country where defence is considered an art form and against one of the self-proclaimed dark horses of the competition was hardly ideal.

The 61-year-old, back in charge since Roberto Donadoni's departure after the Euro, had been in sanguine mood before the midweek win over the Kiwis.

"The last time I had the players together for a long period we did not do too badly," he joked with reporters after a training session, making reference, of course, to Italy's triumphant campaign in Germany three years ago culminating in the penalty shoot-out win over France.

He has stressed the importance of his team getting their Confed Cup campaign off on a winning note as they seek to draw a line under what was for them a disappointing quarter-final exit at Euro 2008.

"The most important match is the first one," he told fifa.com.

"We need to make sure that we beat our first opponents. If the first game goes well, then logically the others will follow suit. If it goes badly, it will be more difficult for us to regain our momentum."

Their opposition Monday are Confed Cup veterans fully capable of giving them a run for their money.

The Americans, who have been winning over local fans with open training sessions this week, owe their presence in South Africa to a defeat of Mexico to win the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The bulk of Bob Bradley's squad are based in Europe, including the English and Scottish Premier League quintet of DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Tim Howard (Everton), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Jonathan Spector (West Ham) and Craig Dempsey (Fulham).

All-time leading US scorer Landon Donovan, the Los Angeles Galaxy playmaker, is one of the few in a squad which also features Bradley's son, Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Michael, plying his trade at home.

The USA, aiming to improve on their two third place Confed Cup finishes, arrive here on the back of a timely 2-1 North America World Cup qualifier win over Honduras.

The USA last played in the competition in France in 2003 where they finished bottom of a table comprising Cameroon, Turkey and Brazil.

In 1999 a 2-0 group win over Germany helped them into third place to match their finishing position in the inaugural four-team edition in 1992.