The one time this fixture has been played before was 20 years ago and Italy won 1-0.
Enjoy the match!

Huge match for England.

If Italy win this there still might be a faint chance for England to go through.

3-0 Italy.

https://twitter.com/FinallyMario/sta...38033672306688

Put us out of our misery, come on Costa Rica.

What are the permi...perme...prematat....possibilities?

Italy have got to beat Costa Rica and then beat Uruguay for England to have any chance. England must then beat Costa Rica and it will then go down to goal difference.

It's a faint chance, although on paper Italy are probably the favourites in both games.

Italy would just play for a draw on the last game anyway, they are still the masters of that as shown by the last 25 minutes against England when they clamped the life out of the game.

Hope it's all over tomorrow so we don't have the lingering hope followed by the inevitable let down (besides we wouldn't beat Costa Rica).

This time last week I would have at that.

Now I've seen our defending at this World Cup, it does make you wonder. ..teams don't have to work that hard to score against us.

Looking forward to this, Italy should win but I probably underestimated Costa Rica more than any other team at the tournament based on their first game. It'll be interesting to see whether they play as they did against Uruguay, even their best might not be good enough though.

Haha

Italy: Buffon (c), Darmian, Chiellini, Barzagli, Abate, Motta, De Rossi, Pirlo, Candreva, Marchisio, Balotelli

Italy make 3 changes after the 2-1 win over England (Paletta, Sirigu and Verratti out; Abate, Buffon and Thiago Motta in). Looks like Italy may be playing a right back at left back.

Costa Rica: Navas, Gamboa, Diaz, Gonzalez, Umana, Duarte, Borges, Tejeda, Bolanos, Ruiz (c), Campbell

Costa Rica make no changes to the side that beat Uruguay 3-1.

Linekers got an Italian shirt on.

Costa Rica have pace and ability but I think the Italians will do what they usually do and use their experience to close out a 2-0 or so win. Maybe Costa Rica will even grab a goal, but I think the Italians see this one out in a professional manner.

Costa Rica need to stifle Pirlo if they are to do anything but that's easier said than done because he's just so clever and aware.

Pathetic.

And why are they still gibbering on about England?? There's the entire World Cup to talk about, not least the upcoming match between Italy and Costa Rica.

Oh lord, now they're blaming the referee. It's over. We lost. This sour desperation to get through by other teams getting beaten is quite embarrassing.

Have they actually mentioned today's match yet?

irony alert,

its a bit of fun, I laughed.

I laughed too.

I hate when Savage pronounces Pirlo as Purlo.

If they win this game 1 or 2-0 they wont. The goal difference would be too small to risk playing for a draw IMO.

Its a bit tacky to be fair. I know he means no harm in it but he's a TV presenter presenting for the WC for the BBC. I personally think its a bit OTT, I prefer both ITV and the BBC acting with a bit more professionalism and respect rather than acting like the England fanzone. Just my two cents.

And to think, there were comments on here during Italy's first game questioning what the big deal over Pirlo was.

Well at least he's not pronouncing it 'Pirla' like Hodgson did, which sadly in Italian means d1ckhead (a reference from Pirlo's autobiography).

C'mon Costa Rica.