Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
October 12, 2012 Friday 7:26 PM EST

LEAD: Italy win at Armenia, go top in qualifying group

DPA SPORTS football World Cup Armenia Italy LEAD: Italy win at
Armenia, go top in qualifying group
Eds: Adds quote from Prandelli, details

Yerevan (dpa) – Italy won 3-1 at Armenia on Friday with goals from
Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and Pablo Osvaldo in a qualifier for
the 2014 World Cup.

The Azzurri lead group B on seven points from three games, with
Czech Republic and Bulgaria trailing on four points having played a
game less.

At the Hrazdan stadium, Pirlo forced a save with an early
free-kick and put Italy ahead with a spot kick converted on 11
minutes after Hrayr Mkoyan blocked with his arm a cross from Riccardo
Montolivo.

Italy remained in control of the game, missing a close-range
chance with Osvaldo before Armenia’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan stormed from
the midfield and beat Gianluigi Buffon by the right post.

Sebastian Giovinco aimed high as the Azzurri produced a brisk
start in the second half, but the hosts threatened with their speed
and it took great saves from Buffon to deny Yura Movsisyan and Aras
Ozbiliz.

Italy’s were again ahead as De Rossi on 64 minutes nodded under
bar a cross from Pirlo.

With Mario Balotelli sidelined with flu, Cesare Prandelli replaced
the limping Giovinco with Stephan El Shaarawy, but the goal that
secured the Azzurri’s win came from an Osvaldo header off a free-kick
curled by his Roma team-mate De Rossi.

“This is a tough (qualifying) group and we saw it today,”
Prandelli said. “We played a great game tonight. We made some errors
but were in control through most of the game and secured a good win.”

Italy’s next qualifier is at home to Denmark, lying on one point
from a draw in their only game played with the Czech Republic.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress