After failing to seal the deal in its first two matches, team Italy has been eliminated from the World Cup.

Italy played two draws (against Paraguay and New Zealand), and needed a win in today’s contest against Slovakia to move into the Round of 16.  Although they made a late push, the defending World Cup winners came up on the short end of a 3-2 outcome.

Slovakia built a two-goal advantage, thanks to Robert Vittek.  Vittek put the ball into the Italian net in the 25th and 73rd minutes.

The prayers of many Italians soccer fans went unanswered on Thursday.

Italy attempted to rally back, scoring its first goal in the game’s 81st minute.  But eight minutes later, Slovakia put some needed insurance on the board in the form of kick from Kamil Kopunek.  Italy would follow with a goal during the additional time, giving the game its final tally of 3-2.

This outcome is indicative of the aggressive style of play that is rewarded by the World Cup tournament.  The difference between a three-point win and a one-point draw is quite dramatic.  Conversely, the difference between a one-point draw and a zero-point loss is half as much.  A team with one win and one loss will sit higher in the standings than a team with two draws. 

The bottom line is that teams cannot just sit back and wait for the match to fall in their lap.  Each team must balance its offense with its defense, taking appropriate risks that won’t fully compromise its defensive positioning.

Slovakia played with the urgency it needed to come up with the win and move on.

And Italy….it played itself out of a chance for another World Cup title.

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