Italy need to raise game, admits Lippi

ITALY coach Marcello Lippi admits the Azzurri need to raise their game after only scraping past Cyprus in their opening World Cup qualifier on Saturday.

Antonio di Natale scored both goals as the world champions laboured to victory in Larnaca, netting in the eighth minute before snatching all three points in stoppage time after Stathis Aloneftis had equalised on the half-hour mark.

Lippi, the 2006 World Cup-winning coach who returned to the hotseat to replace Roberto Donadoni after Euro 2008, expects an improved showing from his team against Georgia tonight.