Italy Vs. Denmark: Final Score 3-1 As Italy Roll On Toward Brazil

Italy once again showed that they've got weaknesses in need of repair, but they also demonstrated enough flair to beat Denmark 3-1 and remain unbeaten in Group B.

The Danes started off brightly, with the first chance of the match going to Nicklas Bendtner. The Juventus man put his header wide, however. Shortly thereafter, Italy nearly gifted a goal to the visitors, when Giorgio Chiellini flubbed a backpass to Morgan De Sanctis, who was only just able to clear before Christian Eriksen pounced.

In the 16th minute, the pressure nearly paid off. Bendtner nodded on a header that would've been followed up and almost certainly left De Sanctis with no chance, but the whistle blew for a foul visible only by the referee. The azzurri took this as a sign to get back into the match, with Claudio Marchisio and Pablo Osvaldo both going for goal.

It took until the 33rd minute for Italy's pressure to pay off. Mario Balotelli, under pressure from Daniel Agger, flicked the ball on to Riccardo Montolivo. Rather than sending the ball on to Osvaldo, who was free inside the area, the AC Milan man let fly from the edge of the box, the ball settling in past the near post.

Minutes later, Italy grabbed their second -- and it wouldn't be an azzurri match if Andrea Pirlo wasn't involved. The maestro curled in the corner, Daniel De Rossi got underneath, and the AS Roma player had his second goal in two matches. And because he tries to stay true to himself, DDR then earned himself a yellow card, meaning he'll miss the next Italy match.

Denmark were able to go into the break feeling a bit better about themselves. A cross from right-back Lars Jacobsen was met by William Kvist, who bounced it on past De Sanctis to put the score 2-1 at the break.

The visitors must have believed their luck was about to change when, just after the restart, Osvaldo got himself sent off. The Roma forward struck Nicolai Stokholm, earning himself a straight red and probably a lengthy ban from Cesare Prandelli.

Yet despite having a man advantage, Denmark still couldn't manage an equalizer. Instead it was the home side that managed to find another goal, in the 54th minute. Again Pirlo was involved, sending a long ball over the top to touch down in front of goal. Balotelli stretched out a toe to poke the ball past Stephan Andersen for Italy's third.

Denmark had their chances in the remaining 35 minutes, but couldn't manage to connect -- with the ball, with the goal, with one another. Eriksen found a shot from distance and had his free kick shoved away. Bendtner showed why he's had barely any time for Juve, failing to really threaten from inside the area and missing his chance to put away Dennis Rommedahl's attempt.