Published Mon, May 31 10 11:27 PM
Latest news from World Cup Group F ahead of the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa.
ITALY
Italy coach Marcello Lippi continues to experiment with formations in their Alpine training camp with a 4-2-3-1 looking his current favourite.
Alberto Gilardino has been leading the line with Antonio Di Natale and Vincenzo Iaquinta out wide and Claudio Marchisio playing in the hole.
"I like Marchisio in that position," Lippi, to be replaced by Fiorentina's Cesare Prandelli after the World Cup, told reporters.
The 62-year-old added he would only reveal after the tournament why he is leaving his post.
NEW ZEALAND
After a day off following their surprise victory over Serbia on Saturday, the All Whites were due to resume full training on Monday with Chris Killen, who skipped the Serbia game to get married in England, joined in camp by back-up midfielder Cole Peverley.
Peverley has been brought in as injury cover for Tim Brown, who is still recovering from shoulder surgery.
The win over Serbia has been hailed as one of the greatest by New Zealand with John Adshead, who coached the All Whites to the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain, saying he had no doubt of the significance of the victory.
"We've never looked like beating a team of that quality (in the past) to be absolutely honest," Adshead said.
The Kiwis are training in the spa resort of Bad Waltersdorf in Austria ahead of this week's friendly against Slovenia in Maribor.
PARAGUAY
Coach Gerardo Martino said after Paraguay's 2-2 draw with Ivory Coast at Evian-les-Bains in France at the weekend that he was unhappy with his team's defending at set pieces.
"Our deficit was at dead ball situations, and our opponents are scoring a lot of goals against us that way," Martino was quoted as saying in the Asuncion daily La Nacion.
"I think we played well in the last 25 minutes since Ivory Coast controlled the ball in the first half," said Martino, whose team fought back from two goals down.
SLOVAKIA
Centre back Martin Skrtel said he felt no effects of a three-month injury layoff and was happy with his own performance as well as with the team's effort in a 1-1 warm-up draw with Cameroon.
"We worked very well defensively, we kept them at bay for most of the match and I think this is a positive result to build on," said the Liverpool defender who had broken a metatarsal bone in his right foot in February.
The Slovaks play Costa Rica in their final warm-up on Saturday before heading out for their first major tournament as an independent nation.
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