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Small man could make big difference
ROME (AP) -- When Italy and England meet in the biggest of World Cup qualifiers, the smallest man on the field could make the difference between the two evenly-matched sides.Gianfranco Zola, a sparkplug of a striker, already has decided one encounter between two of Europe's top teams and is the player most feared by England heading into today's game at Rome's Olympic Stadium.
"He's crafty. He's got such tiny feet, and he can make the ball do so many things," said England goalkeeper David Seaman, who also admitted he's wary of the Italian's free-kick skill.
A point behind, Italy must win to leapfrog current Group 2 leader England and book a ticket to France; England only needs a tie.
TSN is showing the game on tape-delay, at 3 a.m. EDT on Sunday and 4 p.m. Monday, although many soccer fans may be heading to a watering hole with a satellite dish rather than wait.
In England, the game is being shown on television 15 minutes after the final whistle.
While it's not exactly a do-or-die match, both countries would prefer to avoid having to face one of the other second-place finishers in a two-leg playoff for qualification.
"We've always gone onto the field to win, it's just that this time we have to win," Italy coach Cesare Maldini said Friday after running his team through drills at the Olympic Stadium, where the hosts have been perfect in World Cup action -- 13 victories in 13 games.
Veteran defender Ciro Ferrara didn't practise, raising further doubts about his availability.
"If I keep feeling this pain, I won't be on the field tomorrow," said the 30-year-old Juventus player, who has a right leg muscle strain.
Alessandro Nesta, whose club Lazio plays home games at the venue, would start if Ferrara can't.
On the English side, fitness worries centre on midfielder David Beckham (who has a lingering cold) and defender Gareth Southgate (leg injury).
England coach Glenn Hoddle named Paul Ince, a hard-nosed midfielder who spent two seasons in Italy with Inter Milan and now plays for Liverpool, as captain.
Given the circumstances, Zola's role becomes crucial. And he has a chance to wipe away some personal demons.
The five-foot-six native of Sardinia would love nothing more than carry Italy back to the World Cup next summer in France, after his dismal 1994 experience.
Just 14 minutes after making his debut for Italy as a substitute in a second-round match, Zola was sent off for an apparent dirty tackle on Nigerian defender Augustin Eguavoen. Television replays showed Zola had not stomped on Eguavoen, but it didn't matter. His 1994 World Cup was over.
In the next major tournament, the 1996 European championship, Zola missed a potential winner from the penalty spot against Germany and Italy went out in the first round.
With Roberto Baggio no longer a regular on the side, Zola has become the attack's focus. His move from Serie A Parma to Chelsea of the Premier League helped his game as he was named England's player of the year in 1996.
Zola, likely to be paired with Christian Vieri of Atletico Madrid today, does not have a monopoly on unwanted memories.
Top on England's agenda -- and reflected, perhaps, in the incredible media frenzy in that country -- is making the World Cup final after its failure to reach the 1994 tournament in the United States.
The team regained some much-needed confidence with its impressive run to the Euro '96 semifinals at home, and then got more momentum during the Tornoi de France exhibition this summer, where it beat Italy 2-0. The Italians have discounted that as a friendly match the English took too seriously.
There is, of course, a blot on the record: the February loss to Italy, England's first-ever World Cup defeat at hallowed Wembley Stadium, thanks to a goal by Zola.
NEXT ROUNDS: Round of 16 || Quarter-finals || Semi-finals
GROUP A: Brazil, Morocco, Norway, Scotland
GROUP B: Austria, Cameroon, Chile, Italy
GROUP C: Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
GROUP D: Bulgaria, Nigeria, Paraguay, Spain
GROUP E: Belgium, Holland, Mexico, South Korea
GROUP F: Germany, Iran, United States, Yugoslavia
GROUP G: Colombia, England, Romania, Tunisia
GROUP H: Argentina, Croatia, Jamaica, Japan