Italy8217;s gameplan a mystery

SENLIS, June 16: The Italians prepare to face Cameroon in their second World Cup match tomorrow claiming they know little about their oppone...

SENLIS, June 16: The Italians prepare to face Cameroon in their second World Cup match tomorrow claiming they know little about their opponents and even a less about their own starting line-up.

Less than 48 hours before the Group B8217; match in Montpellier, Cesare Maldini8217;s game plan is still shrouded in mystery.

Even the coach8217;s son says he has no idea whether his father will stick with the two-man attack used in last week8217;s 2-2 draw with Chile or throw on an extra striker in an all-out bid for victory.

quot;We still don8217;t know who8217;ll play or what the formation will be,quot; Captain Paolo Maldini told reporters last night. quot;My dad8217;s changed the team around before 8212; he did it against England in the qualifiers for example 8212; but I honestly don8217;t know what his plans are this time.quot;

Maldini senior has a dilemma on his hands. Should he stick with the partnership of Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri which scored Italy8217;s goals against the Chileans or should he cater for Alessandro Del Piero, recently returned froma groin injury?

Baggio and Vieri worked well together in Bordeaux but the temptation to gamble on Del Piero is considerable. The brilliant young striker has been hailed as Italy8217;s great hope for the 1998 finals.

quot;I don8217;t know what the coach will decide or who will play against Cameroon,quot; said Vieri, who will play the role of target man between Del Piero and Baggio if the coach opts for a three-man attack.

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The Italians are conscious of the threat posed by the Indomitable Lions, who were unlucky to take only a single point from their opening group match against Austria last week.

Cameroon coach Claude le Roy acknowledged Italy would start a favourites but said his young team were more than capable of springing a surprise.

Le Roy was set to field a similar side to that which drew 1-1 with Austria, with Rigobert Song and new found hero Pierre Njanka anchoring the defence. Captain Francois Omam Biyik, who plays his football in Italy with Sampdoria, will lead the attack.

Teams probable: Italy:12-Gianluca Pagliuca, 5-Alessandro Costacurta, 3-Paolo Maldini, 6-Alessandro Nesta, 4-Fabio Cannavaro, 15-Angelo Di Livio; 9-Demetrio Albertini, 16-Roberto Di Matteo, 11-Dino Baggio, 21-Christian Vieri, 18-Roberto Baggio or 10-Alessandro Del Piero.

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Cameroon: 1-Jacques Songo8217;o, 4-Rigobert Song, 5-Raymond Kalla, 6-Pierre Njanka; 3-Pierre Wome, 20-Salomon Olembe or 8-Didier Angibeaud, 10-Patrick Mboma, 14-Augustine Simo, 15-Joseph Ndo, 18-Samuel Ipoua, 7-Francois Omam Biyik.

Prefix denotes jersey numbers