Italy v New Zealand - Lippi not thinking about absent stars

Posted Sunday, June 20, 2010 by PA

Italy coach Marcello Lippi claims his team are growing in confidence and can thrive even without their biggest stars.

The champions made an indifferent start to their World Cup defence in South Africa as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Paraguay in their Group F opener on Monday.

Playmaker Andrea Pirlo missed that match with a calf injury and remains sidelined while goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is also out of Sunday's clash against New Zealand in Nelspruit due to a herniated disc.

Lippi said: "All of these players are very valuable, but if a team starts crying over the ones that are not there they will not go very far. That is the worst thing they can do.

"We have equally good and important players who believe in what they are doing. In the meantime we will try to get the great players who are absent back with us.

"This week of work has been very positive and I think we will be ready. Without making any predictions, I think we are ready to play a good game. I think the team has grown and we will be able to go out there with greater confidence and we will be able to score."

New Zealand are set to field an unchanged side.

With midfielder Tim Brown still to fully recover from a shoulder injury, coach Ricki Herbert has hinted at keeping the same XI that started their drawn Group F opener against Slovakia.

Winston Reid scored a dramatic late equaliser on Tuesday as the All Whites began their first World Cup campaign since 1982 with an impressive 1-1 draw in Rustenburg.

Now the Kiwis face their greatest challenge as they take on Marcello Lippi's world champions.

Herbert said: "It's hard to go past a side that's created more history.

"It's a different type of proposition, a different type of team to play against, but I don't think it will be far away."