The pinnacle of the beautiful game is finally upon us, and boy were we treated to some highly entertaining opening World Cup matches. The hosts, impressive, choreographed celebrations).

But there was also another marquee match between two football powerhouses that, while it may not have been as exciting or surprising as some of the others, still delivered it’s own thrills, and, more importantly, provided some clarity in a group that was expected to be one of the most competitive heading in to the tournament.

For the nation of beautiful “dummy” which allowed Marchisio to find the back of the net on a screamer for the team’s first goal. He doesn’t always get the assist, but when he does, he does it without touching the ball.

Apart from a brief lapse in defense, the performance was a fairly complete one for the Italians. If they can continue to be stout in defense, control the midfield under the majestic Pirlo, and get the ball to “Super Mario”, Italy should remain a force in this tournament.