Updated on
Summary
The 2010 World Cup finals suffered its second major shock when defending champions Italy failed to get past the first round. The Azzurri were victims of a massive upset when unfancied 34th world ranked Slovakia humiliated the fifth best team in the world 3-2 at a packed Ellis Park on Thursday to qualify along with Paraguay who won the group after a 0-0 draw with New Zealand in their match played simultaneously in Polokwane on Thursday for the knockout phase of the tournament. Two goals one in each half from Turkish based striker Robert Vittek and a last minute strike from substitute Kamil Kopunek sunk the sad out of sorts Azzurri and ended their hopes of defending the crown they won in Germany in 2006. The Italian fans who were in the majority of the capacity were stunned to silence by the inept display of the defending champions who like France, the side Italy defeated in the 2006 World Cup finals, are on their way to the OR Tambo Airport following their failure to get win a single match in their three group games. Azzurri finished bottom of the group with two points form two disappointing draws against Paraguay and New Zealand.
