Super Mario to the rescue as penalty blasts Azzurri to World Cup finals

Mario Balotelli fired Italy to next year’s World Cup finals as the Azzurri came from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in Turin last night.

Wed, 11 Sep, 2013 - 01:00
James Whelan

Aston Villa striker Libor Kozak put the visitors ahead in the 19th minute before Giorgio Chiellini equalised for the Group B leaders shortly after the restart.

Former Manchester City striker Balotelli scored the winner from the penalty spot in the 54th minute after he was brought down by Gebre Selassie in the box.

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CourtsSoccerPlace: TurinPlace: KievPlace: WalesPlace: SkopjePlace: NicosiaPlace: PiraeusPerson: SuperPerson: AzzurriPerson: Mario BalotelliPerson: Libor KozakPerson: Giorgio ChielliniPerson: BalotelliPerson: Gebre SelassiePerson: Franck RiberyPerson: Egor FilippenkoPerson: Timofey KalachevPerson: Samir NasriPerson: Didier Deschamps’Person: Paul PogbaPerson: Roy HodgsonPerson: Joe HartPerson: Roman ZozulyaPerson: Gareth BalePerson: Filip DjordjevicPerson: Aleksandar KolarovPerson: Lazar MarkovicPerson: BalePerson: Shaun MaloneyPerson: Ikechi AnyaPerson: Ivan KostovskiPerson: MaloneyPerson: Gordon StrachanPerson: Robin van PersiePerson: Louis van GaalPerson: Burak YilmazPerson: Mevlut ErdincPerson: Fabian ScharPerson: Dimitris Salpingidis’Event: World CupEvent: WorldEvent: 2014 World CupOrganisation: ItalyOrganisation: Czech RepublicOrganisation: Aston VillaOrganisation: Manchester CityOrganisation: BulgariaOrganisation: MaltaOrganisation: DenmarkOrganisation: ArmeniaOrganisation: FranceOrganisation: Les BleusOrganisation: SpainOrganisation: EnglandOrganisation: UkraineOrganisation: MontenegroOrganisation: WalesOrganisation: SerbiaOrganisation: CardiffOrganisation: Real MadridOrganisation: ScotlandOrganisation: MacedoniaOrganisation: WatfordOrganisation: ScotsOrganisation: WelshOrganisation: HollandOrganisation: AndorraOrganisation: RomaniaOrganisation: TurkeyOrganisation: HungaryOrganisation: EstoniaOrganisation: SwitzerlandOrganisation: NorwayOrganisation: SloveniaOrganisation: GreeceOrganisation: Bosnia-HerzegovinaOrganisation: LatviaOrganisation: Slovakia
<p>SOFI, SO GOOD: Former Arsenal talent Folarin Balogun celebrates with USA teammates after scoring his team's third goal in the hosts' World Cup Group D win over Paraguay at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood. Pic: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images</p>

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