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Batak hands Italy win on comfortable night

SoccerNews in Serie A, World Cup 28 Mar 2009

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Radoslav Batak’s howler helped grant world champions Italy a comfortable night as they beat Montenegro 2-0 here in World Cup qualifying Group Eight.

Italy’s win was enough to keep them top of the group ahead of Wednesday’s crunch clash against second placed Republic of Ireland in Bari.

But Batak literally gave them a big helping hand early on in the match to ensure Marcello Lippi’s men travelled home from the former Yugoslav republic with three points.

The uneven pitch took an early victim as Italy’s Antonio Di Natale fell awkwardly on seven minutes trying to change direction and immediately signalled to the bench that he couldn’t continue with what looked to be a twisted knee.

But the world champions were in front just four minutes later after Batak’s moment of madness.

The 31-year-old centre-back, who plys his trade in Turkey at Ankaraspor, needlessly and stupidly handled a cross from Andrea Pirlo in the box.

He was booked for his troubles and the AC Milan playmaker punished the hosts clinically, cooly chipping home the penalty straight down the middle.

However, Italy nearly self-destructed on 18 minutes after a terrible mistake from Sampdoria’s Angelo Palombo put veteran centre-half Fabio Cannavaro in difficulty.

After slipping he deliberately hauled down Stevan Jovetic about 25 yards from goal and slightly out to the left.

There was no-one between the Fiorentina midfielder and the goal with Cannavaro’s centre-back partner Giorgio Chiellini at least 20 yards from the action.

Cannavaro could have had no complaints had English referee Martin Atkinson pulled out the red card but much to the chagrin of the home fans he opted for leniancy and brandished yellow instead.

Chances were at a premium in the first 45 minutes and Jovetic had the only shot on target from open play on 29 minutes but Gianluigi Buffon got down smartly to his right to save.

Italy had a great break five minutes into the second half but Simone Pepe dallied when his Udinese team-mate Fabio Quagliarella was free and eventually teed up Vincenzo Iaquinta, who got his sights all wrong and screwed his shot wide.

Buffon then came to the visitors’ rescue on 67 minutes with a brilliant one-handed save from Radomir Dalovic’s point-blank poke from Branko Boskovic’s cross.

Moments later goalkeeper Vukasin Poleksic, who once played at Lecce, spread himself well to deny Italy substitute Giampaolo Pazzini when he was put clean through by Daniele De Rossi.

On 74 minutes two substitutes combined to clinch the victory for Italy as Pepe squared for Pazzini to head home powerfully from eight yards following a counter-attack.

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