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<span class="vitstoryheadline">Mexico on top going into match with Italy</span>
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<span class="vitstorydeck">No teams in Group G have clinched a spot in second round yet</span>
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<span class="vitstorydate">06/12/2002</span>
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<span class="vitstorybyline">By LUIS BUENO / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News</span>
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    SENDAI, Japan &#8211; After two World Cup matches, Mexico has allowed just one 
    goal and few scoring chances. Three different players have found the back 
    of the net as El Tri-color has amassed the maximum six points.

    <p>
      But all that could be for nothing if Mexico does not take care of 
      business against against Italy.
    </p>
    <p>
      Mexico needs at least a draw against Italy to wrap up the Group G title 
      and advance to the second round for the third consecutive World Cup. But 
      it could easily be Mexico's darkest moment in years.
    </p>
    <p>
      If Italy beats Mexico and Croatia beats Ecuador by two goals, Mexico 
      will kiss goodbye to the World Cup. Italy, Mexico and Croatia would all 
      finish with six points and goal-differential would be used to determine 
      who stays and who goes. If Italy beats Mexico, 1-0, then Italy would 
      finish with plus-two, Mexico with plus-one while Croatia would finish 
      with plus-two (if it wins by a pair of goals).
    </p>
    <p>
      Sound complicated? The soccer world is becoming just that.
    </p>
    <p>
      &quot;There is no longer such a great difference between us and the teams 
      that don't really have a history,&quot; said Maldini, who addressed the media 
      in place of coach Giovanni Trapattoni. &quot;The teams here may not be all 
      aiming for the World Cup but they are all hoping to get through to the 
      second phase.&quot;
    </p>
    <p>
      The World Cup has seen a lot of upsets thus far.
    </p>
    <p>
      &quot;For the small teams like us it has been good until now, but we have to 
      play the best match of the World Cup if we want to keep going,&quot; Mexico 
      coach Javier Aguirre said.
    </p>
    <p>
      Mexico is right on track, said midfielder Ramon Morales.
    </p>
    <p>
      &quot;We came in [to the World Cup] with a winning and positive mentality,&quot; 
      he said. &quot;We came in wanting to beat Croatia because we thought that 
      would be our toughest match. We beat them, we beat Ecuador and know we 
      have our most important match.&quot;
    </p>
    <p>
      Mexico will be looking to penetrate Italy's defense the way Croatia did. 
      Croatia took advantage of small mistakes &#8211; bad clearances and shoddy 
      defending &#8211; and scored a pair of second-half goals to pull off the 
      upset. But Italy had two goals disallowed, including one in stoppage 
      time. Italy's soccer federation nearly filed an official protest but 
      stopped just short of doing so.
    </p>
    <p>
      Several of Italy's regulars are facing injury problems and likely will 
      not play. Standout defender Alessandro Nesta suffered a foot injury in 
      Saturday's 2-1 loss to Croatia while Cristian Zanetti and Luigi Di 
      Biagio are battling their own ailments.
    </p>
    <p>
      Still, Christian Vieri and Francesco Totti will be difficult for the 
      Mexicans to contain up front. Vieri has scored all three of Italy's 
      goals in the tournament while Totti is widely considered the Golden Boy 
      if Italian soccer.
    </p>
    <p>
      Even without Nesta and in spite of Croatia's two goals, Italy is solid 
      on defense Maldini and Fabio Cannavaro in the back. Italy surrenders few 
      scoring chances and it will be up to Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Morales to 
      break down the Italian defense.
    </p>
    <p>
      Facing a team with talent to burn does not worry Mexican midfielder 
      Gerardo Torrado.
    </p>
    <p>
      &quot;Italy is one of the favorites,&quot; he said. &quot;They have accomplished much 
      in the World Cup but on the field, it's just 11-on-11. The game will be 
      decided on the field. Italy is playing for their lives too.&quot;
    </p>
    <p>
      
    </p>
    <p>
      <i>Luis Bueno is a San Diego based free-lance writer.</i>
    </p>
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    <p>
      
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    <p>
      <i> World Cup first round: Mexico (2-0-0) vs. Italy (1-1-0), at Oita, 
      Japan, 6:30 a.m. Dallas time (ESPN, Ch. 23)</i>
    </p>
    <p>
      <!-- <photocredit>OMAR TORRES/Agence France-Presse</photocredit> -->
      <!-- <cutline>Mexico's Sigifredo Mercado (left), Melvin Brown (center) and Luis Hernandez joke around at practice for the Italy game.</cutline> -->
      
    </p>
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