Italy will look to take complete control of Group D when they square off against the exciting Costa Rica at the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Recife.
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The match in Group D is scheduled for a 1 pm local time (9.30 pm IST, 5 pm BST, 12 pm ET) start with live coverage on Sony Six HD and and Sony Six in India. The action can also be watched online via live streaming in India HERE. Catch the match in the UK on ITV and BBC with the live streaming option HERE or HERE. US viewers can watch the game on ESPN while you can also live stream the action HERE. Viewers in Australia can watch HERE online, while South Africa viewers can catch the match HERE.
The Italians are currently on three points, level with Costa Rica and Uruguay, after picking up a narrow win over England, and they can take sole position of the top with victory on Friday.
Cesare Prandelli's men showed they will be a tough team to beat, even when they are not at their best, with strong tactical awareness combined by some good individual skill making them a dangerous side.
Dangerous side can also be used to describe Costa Rica, who overwhelmed Uruguay with their pace and power in their opening Group D match. Italy will be much more aware of the threat posed by Costa Rica, but that does not make it any easier to stop the Central Americans, who will again go into the game with a nothing-to-lose attitude, an attitude that worked wonders the first time around.
Prandelli, while also being concerned about Costa Rica's attacking prowess, is also worried about the weather in Brazil, insisting it works in the favour of teams from South America and around, while sides from Europe are at a big disadvantage.
"The climate is not normal," Prandelli said on Thursday. "Today we simulated the climate and at 1:25pm, it was 29 degrees and 57 percent humidity. After 20 minutes, the clouds cleared and we almost had 40 degrees and 70 percent humidity.
"As far as I am concerned the South American teams have an advantage, not least because they live and work in these conditions and their explosiveness is different to Europeans. Europeans are more resilient, but less explosive."
Italy face Uruguay, a South American side, in their last Group D match, and the Costa Ricans will also be more at home in this climate. Their pace could come in handy against the possibly tiring Italians late in the game.
"The game against Costa Rica is seen as the most dangerous game, because we play at 1 pm local time and it will be really difficult," midfielder Daniele De Rossi said.
"Can we beat Costa Rica? There is no longer a World Cup as it once was, like in Italia 90 when games ended 8-0. Teams are organised, with strong players, and you cannot afford to think Italy will beat Costa Rica just because we are called Italy."
Costa Rica certainly showed that in their first game, showing reputations mean little in this thrill-a-minute World Cup. Coach Jorge Luis Pinto will just ask for more of the same from his team.
"We got three things from that Uruguay match -- trust, security and we know that we can play as a team," Pinto said. "Our players realize that what we are doing is right."
"I told my team that during the first minutes [against Uruguay] I was nervous. It's normal to be nervous, and they were nervous too. But now we are happier and calmer."
Team news: Italy: Skipper Gianluigi Buffon and defender Mattia De Sciglio, who missed the opening game against England, with ankle and calf injuries respectively are expected to be fit for this game, giving Prandelli a selection boost.
Costa Rica: Pinto does not have any injury concerns and should go with the same XI that upset Uruguay.
Key men: Italy: Andrea Pirlo showed exactly why he is the best deep lying playmaker in the world, with another quietly exemplary performance against England, while Mario Balotelli will look to make it two goalscoring games in a row.
Costa Rica: Joel Campbell was mightily impressive against Uruguay, tearing the defence to shreds with his pace, direct approach and a penchant for long-range efforts. Campbell will look to keep the Italy defenders on their toes.
Expected lineups: Italy: Buffon; Darmian, Barzagli, Chiellini, De Sciglio; De Rossi, Pirlo, Verratti; Candreva, Balotelli, Marchisio.
Costa Rica: Navas; Gamboa, Duarte, Gonzalez, Umana, Diaz; Borges, Tejeda; Ruiz, Bolanos; Campbell.
Prediction: 2-1 to Italy
