Italy edged Argentina 1-0 in front of 30,889 fans at Eden Park on July 24 in a FIFA Women's World Cup Finals encounter which reverberated to the Latin American beat from the stands, but which saw Honduras referee Melissa Borjas book six players throughout proceedings. "La Albiceleste" set out their stall inside the opening sixty seconds, Sophia Braun's flighted free-kick inviting Aldana Cometti to head the ball down for Mariana Larroquette, whose flying volley from fifteen yards flashed narrowly past the post. Italy responded instantly, Barbara Bonansea prevented from getting on the end of Lisa Boattin's angled delivery by the timely intervention of Eliana Stabile. In the fifth minute, a Boattin corner to the near post saw Larroquette head the ball against Arianna Caruso, off whom the ball ricocheted for a goal kick - it could just as easily have gone the other side of the post! "Le Azzurre" were giving their South American rivals a stern examination of their defensive prowess by the tenth minute, and Cometti's blunder invited Bonansea to latch onto Valentina Giacinti's through ball. The striker directed her effort straight at veteran Argentine goalkeeper Vanina Correa, who was relieved to see the offside flag aloft when Caruso fired the ball into Argentina's net on the quarter hour. Technique and turbulence in equal measure soon abounded, with collisions aplenty as both teams put themselves about in what was a lively affair, ensuring referee Borjas had her hands full containing the passion which was in plentiful supply. It wasn't until nine minutes before half-time that the next noteworthy goalscoring opportunity materialised, Giacinti just failing in her athletic attempt to reel in Guilia Dragoni's delicious angled through ball. Giacinti went close again soon after, this time on receipt of a Bonansea pass. Miriam Mayorga and Correa combined to thwart the striker, who had the ball in the net in the 42nd minute, only for the offside flag to curtail her celebrations - Cometti's marshalling of the defence to catch out her rival was superb. Argentina's hopes in this match appeared to rest on the shoulders of Estefania Banini, who was creating all sorts of havoc down the left with her trickery. Her industry led to the Argentines finishing the half on the front foot, with Stabile's twenty-five yard drive drawing a save from Francesca Durante in the shadows of the half-time whistle. Stabile tested Durante again three minutes after half-time, this time with a free-kick fired in from the right which the goalkeeper was forced to punch out from beneath her crossbar. Argentina were unable to capitalise on this opening, and it would be a good twenty minutes before another one materialised for German Portanova's charges. That's because Italy grabbed the second half by the scruff of the neck and dominated proceedings for a decent spell, without reward. It wasn't for the want of trying, however, with Cometti lashing a twenty-yarder past the post in the 55th minute, before Giacinti defied gravity to both reach and head goalwards a free-kick from Boattin which arced

behind the charismatic front-runner. Urged on by the crowd, the majority of whom were sky blue in persuasion, Argentina grew into the game, although they didn't help themselves in the 68th minute when Mayorga committed by far the worst foul in the game, scything down the in-full-flight figure of Bonansea with a challenge which referee Borjas could very easily have punished with a red card. Cometti fired the resulting twenty-five yard free-kick over the defensive wall and onto the roof of the net, to which Argentina responded three minutes later via another Stabile free-kick, this one delivered from the right flank. Durante punched it straight to Larroquette, off whom the ball ricocheted over the dead ball line - the second time "La Albiceleste"'s star striker had not enjoyed the bounce of the ball in this encounter. A flurry of substitutions and bookings broke up the flow and rhythm of the game in the final fifteen minutes, but Italy found another gear to finish with a wet sail and win the match. Cometti was forced to head the ball over her own crossbar thirteen minutes from time, as Manuela Giugliano's free-kick was headed goalwards by Bonansea. Four minutes later, Italian substitute Giada Greggi drew a smothering save from Correa after Sofia Cantore, Bonansea and Chiara Beccari had opened up the Argentine defence, something which occurred again in the 87th minute, this time with decisive consequences. Greggi spotted Boattin roaming down the left and delivered a pass into her stride, which invited an angled delivery towards the vicinity of the penalty spot. Substitute Christiana Girelli was anticipating it, and soared above Cometti to direct an arcing header over the flailing fingertips of Correa and into the top corner of the net - 1-0 Italy. Argentina were afforded a glorious chance to equalise in stoppage time when Cantore fouled Florencia Bonsegundo just outside the penalty area. The offended player picked herself up, dusted herself down and duly whipped a low free-kick round the wall, only to be denied by Durante's fine save. Italy responded with an instant counter-attack, Cantore leading the charge as she looked to make up for her blunder seconds earlier. Alas, the substitute fired her shot on the run past the post, while Boattin's buccaneering run in stoppage time took her past three opponents before Correa diverted her low drive from the by-line around the near post. The ball needed to be at the other end of the pitch for Argentina, however, but before they could get back there the final whistle sounded, Italian delight very much in evidence as "Le Azzure" celebrated a win which puts them in with a great chance of advancing to the knockout phase. Italy:          Durante; Di Guglielmo, Linari, Salvai, Boattin; Giugliano, Caruso (booked, 25 (Greggi, 58)), Dragoni (Girelli, 83); Bonansea (booked, 85), Giacinti (Cantore, 74), Beccari Argentina:     Correa; Braun, Mayorga (booked, 68), Cometti, Stabile (booked, 90); Falfan (Ippolito, 90), Bonsegundo (booked, 76), Benitez; Nunez (Rodriguez, 77), Larroquette (booked, 12 (Gramaglia, 90)), Banini Referee:     Melissa Borjas (Honduras)