Italy crash out following thrilling 3-2 defeat
2006 World Cup winners Italy crashed out at the group stage as Slovakia advanced with a pulsating 3-2 victory.
Having been held to disappointing draws by Paraguay and New Zealand in their opening two Group F games, the Azzurri needed to win to guarantee progression to the next round.
But they fell behind for a third successive game when Robert Vittek fired Slovakia in front on 25 minutes after Daniele De Rossi had surrendered possession in a dangerous area.
Marcello Lippi's men desperately tried to draw level and Fabio Quagliarella had a volley cleared off the line by Martin Skrtel midway through the second half, with Italy appealing that the goal should have stood.
Vittek struck for a second time in the 73rd minute with a neat finish from Marek Hamsik's low cross, but the drama was far from over as Italy fought to stay alive in the competition.
Antonio Di Natale reduced their arrears nine minutes from time and it looked like Quagliarella had grabbed an equaliser, only for the flag to be raised for offside in another marginal decision.
Kamil Kopunek restored Slovakia's two-goal cushion on the counter-attack just moments after coming on as a substitute, before Quagliarella finally got on the scoresheet with a stunning strike in stoppage time.
The Azzurri continued to push forward but could not score for a third time and Slovakia held on to progress to the last 16 as Group F runners-up behind Paraguay, who drew with New Zealand.
