Lippi targets win

FIFA Confederations Cup
Italy v Brazil




Italy coach Marcello Lippi has told his side they must show more initiative as the world champions prepare for a crucial clash with Brazil in the Confederations Cup on Sunday.

The Italians deviated from the script in their upset 1-0 loss to Egypt in Johannesburg on Thursday to leave them needing a victory against the South American champions to keep their tournament hopes alive.

They have three points in Group B, the same as Egypt who have a much easier task against the United States on the same day.

Brazil have six points after winning their opening two games with who goes through to the semis potentially being decided by goal difference.

"We are in a very difficult group, very different from the other group," said Lippi. Group A features Spain, Iraq, South Africa and New Zealand.

"We weren't very aggressive against Egypt," he added. "We didn't play like we had planned. When Egypt started to play and scored, it all unravelled and we stopped playing. We didn't go for the ball."

He knows they have a huge task ahead of them against Dunga's team of superstars, aware that only a victory will do if they want to stay in the competition.

"We've simply got to win," he said. "We'll try to play positively from the first minute and try and take the initiative but we must also be prudent because the opponent is Brazil."

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said their problem was that they only picked up their game after conceding a goal, something he admitted must change against Brazil.

"I think our problem at the moment is our approach to matches, in that we often react only after moments of significance, like conceding a goal," he told reporters.

"Against Brazil, we have to play without making any calculations, in regards to what is happening elsewhere. We have to play to win.

"We must show that we can compete with one of the favourites for next year's World Cup."

After a lacklustre second half against Egypt in their opening 4-3 victory, which coach Dunga blamed on tiredness, Brazil were back to their best in beating the United States 3-0 on Thursday, a display that oozed class.

"What changed (between Egypt and the US) was a lack of tiredness," said Dunga, who used several new faces such as Maicon and Miranda to good effect.

Four of Brazil's seven goals at the tournament have come from set pieces, something Lippi will have noticed and be working on at their training ground in Pretoria.

Dunga said his team worked hard on that aspect of their game, to good effect.

"Yes that's something we go over, we try and place the players in the best positions," he said.

"We move the ball around quickly as well which of course is a characteristic of South American football."

In an ominous warning to Italy, Manchester City's Robinho declared that Brazil were just getting started.

"We played well (against the United States) but we want to play even better in the games ahead."