Season 24 week 18 processing ...

Why have I got Marchisio taking free kicks?? Oh dear. Prandelli-esque.

yet another Marchisio freekick but this one goes just wide...

Paul Hemmings wrote:

yet another Marchisio freekick but this one goes just wide...

Aggggggggggh.

Gago is robbed by Astori...

Come on Messi, need you to get a hold of this game...

Pirlo and De Rossi combine well with Giovinco to put Pirlo in but his shot goes just wide...

Di Maria is robbed by De Sciglio...

but Zabaleta regains possession from Marchisio...

a great run by Zabaleta results in a Messi freekick, he puts the ball back onto the head of Zabaleta...

who heads down only to see Sirigu pull off a great save...

Sirigu making a good job of standing in for the injured Buffon...

a foul by Di Maria results in a bad injury to De Sciglio who has to be replaced by Ranocchia on 35 minutes...

the freekick is taken quickly and Balotelli gets a shot away but it is saved by Romero...

Italy creating all the chances here at the moment...

and just as I say that it's gone in...

It's Lionel Messi with one of his wonder swerving freekicks on 41 minutes to make it

Argentina 1 Italy 0

totally against the run of play...

From the kickoff Giovinco strides forward...

and plants his shot wide of Romero for the equaliser on 42 minutes to make it

Argentina 1 Italy 1

would you believe it and how often do you see that, two goals in a minute, fast becoming a cliche...

it's all a bit scrappy now as the ref whistles for half time.

The teams are out for the second half...

Giovinco starts another attack for the Italians but Gago fouls Balotelli...

Balotelli hobbles off to be replaced by Pazzini at the start of the first half...

Marchisio freekick sees Pirlo and De Rossi team up to put Pazzini in but he is beaten by Demichelis...

Demichelis is quick to set Banega off on a run...

Di Maria beats De Rossi...

crosses low to Messi...