Italy exited the 2010 World Cup after suffering a 3-2 defeat to Slovakia in a pulsating Group F game at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Thursday.
This is the second time Italy has crashed out at the first round as defending champion. The 2006 champion also exited at this stage in 1950. The other two teams that share this dubious distinction are Brazil (1966) and France (2002). Italy finished last in Group F, with only two points from three games. The last time the Azzurri went out at the first hurdle was in 1974.
Slovakia's hero was striker Robert Vittek, whose clinical finishes in the 25{+t}{+h} and 73{+r}{+d} minutes left Italy reeling at 2-0 down. Needing at least a draw to make the last 16, Italy regrouped and pulled a goal back through Antonio di Natale in the 81{+s}{+t} minute.
Four minutes later, Fabio Quagliarella seemed to have equalised, only for his side-footed finish to be ruled offside. Substitute Kamil Kopunek drove the final nail into Italy's second round hopes with his first touch of the game in the 89{+t}{+h} minute.
The drama continued into injury time with an exquisite 25-yard chip from Quagliarella, but Marcello Lippi's men had left it too late.
The win took Slovakia into the second round as the runner-up from Group F with four points. Paraguay, which drew 0-0 against New Zealand in the concurrent game at Polokwane, qualified in first place with five points.
