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Tuesday March 24, 2009

Lippi calls up three debutants for W-Cup qualifiers

MILAN: Italy coach Marcello Lippi named three debutants in his squad on Sunday to face Montenegro and Ireland in World Cup qualifiers, with the inclusion of Genoa defender Sal­vatore Bocchetti the biggest surprise.

The 22-year-old former Under-21 international, barely a regular for the Serie A high-flyers, has been called up for the first time along with Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini and AS Roma rightback Marco Motta.

The Group Eight leaders have been deprived of a host of injured players for the trip to Podgorica next Saturday and the game with former Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland in Bari on April 1.

World Cup winners Luca Toni, Al­­ber­to Gilardino, Gennaro Gattuso, Mauro Camoranesi and Simone Per­rot­ta are all out along with defenders Daniele Bonera and Nicola Leg­rot­taglie and Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani.

Matteo Brighi, who has taken his chance in the Roma midfield this season following a string of injuries to team-mates, is included having picked up his only previous cap under Trapattoni in a friendly against Slovenia in 2002.

Lazio playmaker Pasquale Foggia was also named having managed two previous appearances but there was again no place for 34-year-old Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero, in-form 35-year-old AC Milan forward Filippo Inzaghi or Sampdoria’s outspoken talisman Antonio Cassano.

His Samp strike partner Pazzini has been rewarded, however, for eight goals in eight league games since his January move from Fiorentina while Motta, on loan at Roma from Udinese, has produced some commanding displays of late. — Reuters

THE SQUAD

Goalkeepers: David James (Portsmouth), Ro­­bert Green (West Ham), Ben Foster (Man Utd).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Joleon Lescott (Everton), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Ledley King (Tottenham).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Michael Carrick (Man Utd), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), David Beckham (AC Milan), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Man City), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Steven Gerrad (Liverpool).

Forwards: Carlton Cole (West Ham), Peter Crouch (Portsmouth), Emile Heskey(Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd).

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