Considering the general consensus was that the population of England had some kind of desperate civic duty to tune in to Italy versus Costa Rica, it was tempting to wonder if anyone in the royal household had an eye on events in Recife. What with Mario Balotelli tweeting his desire for a kiss from the Queen if Italy prevailed, and Gary Lineker presenting UK coverage of the game sporting an electric blue Italy polo shirt, the greater significance of this game to the fellow Group D contestants was unmistakable.  In the brouhaha over England’s forlorn hankering for a handout from Italy, scant attention was paid to Costa Rica. What an oversight. How deserving they are of recognition for a gargantuan World Cup achievement. To qualify for the knockout stages after two games and look down on three former World Cup winners is as extraordinary as Spain’s implosion.  Officially ranked the lowest of the group quartet, with a little over 50,000 registered players (compared to roughly 1.5 million in England and Italy), the majority of their squad earn their living in Scandinavia, Major League Soccer and back home in the Costa Rican Primera Division. Los Ticos have seized their moment in Brazil with a relish to warm the soul. In fitness, in organisation, in opportunism, in technique, their performance was once again of a high calibre.  Before the tournament their coach Jorge Luis Pinto had been at pains to point out how “efficient marking” of the so-called danger men in their opponents would be the key.  “I think that’s how we can get something,” he said bashfully. As it turns out, Costa Rica’s danger men have evaded markers. They have been the enemy of slow defenders, which has left two major opponents floored. Bravo, Los Ticos.  It was always going to take a monumental effort to follow up their opening salvo which embarrassed Uruguay, but Costa Rica were also able to put Italian (and by extension English) noses out of joint when they took command just before half-time.  Balotelli had been semi-threatening with a couple of chances, but otherwise Italy toiled. Costa Rica upped the pace, suddenly Joel Campbell was bearing down on goal only to be rudely interrupted with a clumsy barge in the back from Giorgio Chiellini. A penalty bizarrely ungiven.  But to Costa Rica’s enormous credit, they made light of their frustration to spear Italy immediately. Here was yet another goal in this World Cup in which there was so much to admire from the creation. Scorers must dream of crosses like Júnior Díaz’s arcing towards them.  The delivery was perfection for Bryan Ruiz, who spent half the season on loan from Fulham to PSV Eindhoven, to nod in. There was more than a hint of similarity to the goal which commenced this aching 24 hours of World Cup suffering for England, as Edinson Cavani and Luis Suárez combined with piercing precision.  Back in the royal household, what might they have been thinking? Far more pertinently, of course, what of the whole of Italy, who had far more important business than amusement at England needing a favour on their minds. The notion of a winner-takes-all clash with Uruguay on matchday three was a most unwelcome scenario.  Italy’s head coach, Cesare Prandelli, had been worried about the heat, even though it did not prevent him from wearing a dark suit, with shirt buttoned high and tie neatly clasped. His team looked sapped from the off. They struggled to generate the kind of tempo that underpinned their opening-day victory against England. For too long it was laboured enough to summon the ghosts of second matches past. Matchday two syndrome, whose symptoms have struck Italy now in seven major finals at this point in proceedings, appeared to make the Azzurri shirts heavier than normal. That or the sauna conditions anyway.  Antonio Cassano and Lorenzo Insigne were brought on in the second half. The hope was that these two players from Italy’s warmer south would add some zest, and help provide more threat than Balotelli on one of his more erratic days.  The curse of the second game struck. The ramifications for England were fatal. The consequences for Italy tip over to a duel against Uruguay.  All the happiness is Costa Rica’s.
Amy Lawrence: Mario Balotelli’s tweet that he wanted a kiss from the Queen for throwing England a lifeline suggested Italy were getting ahead of themselves