Casiraghi fires Italy home

Cesare Maldini's facial tension told its own story. In the immediate aftermath of Italy's qualification for France '98, thanks to a 1-0 play-off win against Russia in Naples on Saturday night, the Italian manager's face reflected all too clearly the stress and strain of the long and winding road to France.

"In soccer, you learn to suffer. There's a lot of joy and satisfaction but disappointment, too, in soccer," Maldini said in a philosophical aside that he surely would not have been permitted, had Italy been eliminated.

Last Saturday night, Italian fans experienced all three emotions. Joy came from a win which put one of world soccer's traditional powers exactly where it belongs - in the World Cup finals.

Satisfaction came from the sense that, given Italy's overall Group performances and in particular their never to be forgotten 1-0 win at Wembley, they fully deserve to go to France.

However, there was no getting away from a certain disappointment about the manner in which Italy secured that qualification on Saturday night. This was a dour, tense and often scrappy affair in which both goalkeepers were for so long irrelevant that they spent much time running up and down the edge of their penalty areas trying to keep warm.

Italy won, all right, thanks to a brilliantly taken 54th minute goal from Lazio striker Pierluigi Casiraghi, following an even better through ball from the halfway line from AC Milan's Demetrio Albertini. This was a curious goal in that it was almost the only piece of creative soccer all night from Italy, while even Casiraghi himself admitted afterwards that, while he might have proved the match-winner, he had otherwise had a largely undistinguished game.

Italy were not much helped by a sticky pitch, much the worse for three days of incessant autumnal rain. Nor was their task made easier by a defensive Russian side which, although comfortable in possession, acted for much of the game as if it, rather than Italy, were the side needing the 0-0 result. Most of all, though, Italy inevitably suffered from the pressure of this "win or bust" situation.

Analysing the game afterwards, Maldini admitted that his players had clearly felt the strain before defiantly adding: "It would have been ridiculous if we hadn't gone to the Finals. Who ever heard of a side that picked up 18 points and conceded only one goal in eight matches being eliminated? We deserved to qualify."

Given the tight corner in which he found himself on Saturday night, Maldini decided to stick with the side which had done him proud in that all-important 1-1 draw in the first leg of the play-off in Moscow two weeks ago. The replacement of the injured Atletico Madrid striker Christian Vieri by Casiraghi and the return from injury of central defender Ciro Ferrara in place of Alsessandro Nesta were his only changes.

On Saturday night, the side did its business - without flair but also without ever really running a serious risk.

The question now being asked, though, concerns France '98. A side such as that seen against Georgia, England and Russia this autumn cannot expect to go far in France.

While remaining fiercely loyal and proud of his current squad, Maldini conceded on Saturday night that there may have to be changes before next summer.

"We need to bring in new players, to try them out in friendlies before the World Cup. We need to change," he said.

New players may be welcomed but, in truth, it may also suit Italy's purposes next summer to make more use of some existing squad members. Maldini will surely some day soon forgive the `hero of Wembley', Gianfranco Zola, for his less than inspired performance in the 0-0 draw with England last month in Rome.

Maldini may also reflect that the only Italian striker capable of dribbling his way past two Russian defenders and getting into the penalty area was a certain Alessandro Del Piero, brought on for only the final quarter of an hour on Saturday.

He may even cast a thought in the direction of the Little Prince himself, Roberto Baggio, a man whose silken skills have already taken Italy to one World Cup Final, three years ago.

Those thoughts are for another day. In the meantime, it's arrivederci until France '98.