Ten-man Italy drew 1-1 with the nine-men of USA in a combustible, highly-entertaining Group E clash on Saturday evening.
Alberto Gilardino drew first blood for Italy in the 22nd minute, only for Christian Zaccardo to slice a clearance past Gianliugi Buffon five minutes later and level the match.
That was the end of the scoring but not the action as a spate of elbows and robust tackles produced red cards for Daniele De Rossi (28), Pablo Mastroeni (45) & Eddie Pope (47).
With USA playing virtually the whole of the second half a man down, the onus fell on Italy to find a winner but, in response to the Azzurri fashioning only sporadic opportunities, Bruce Arena's side offered stout resistance.
A draw was, perhaps, the fair result after a match of thrills and spills, although, despite Italy being disappointed with only level-pegging at the final whistle, the point will probably do more for their hopes of reaching the second round than it will USA's.
In a prelude of the indiscretions that were to follow, Francesco Totti was yellow-carded, albeit harshly, for a challenge on Clint Dempsey after just five minutes - that was as close as Italy got to the ball for the first 20 minutes of the match as an aggressive edge to the States' approach constricted time and space in midfield.
Pirlo & co, who admitted only on Thursday that they had not heard of many of their opposition, were caught out by the Americans who, roared on by a vociferous ex-patriot backing in Kaiserslautern, pressed for an opening.
Bobby Convey shot over the bar on the quarter hour and Dempsey drove wide two minutes later.
On 22 minutes, however, USA's game-plan came unstuck - and, due in no small part, to slack marking from a set-piece.
Andrea Pirlo's delivery was true enough and difficult to defend but Bruce Arena will have been asking questions of his side's defence as Gilardino was given the freedom of the area to direct a header from six yards past a helpless Kasey Keller
Just as Italy had claimed a surprise lead so USA equalised in equally unlikely fashion five minutes later as Zaccardo sliced a cross past his own keeper. It was another kamikaze cameo and more was to follow in an increasingly tempestuous match.
Less than 60 seconds later that famous Latin passion descended into a red mist and Italy imploded - De Rossi's blatant elbow on McBride seeing the midfielder dismissed in disgrace by referee Jorge Larrionda as the American left the pitch bloodied.
Marcello Lippi brought on Gennaro Gattuso for Totti and it settled the Azzurri somewhat, although Mastroeni's shot sheared the top of the net before the same player received his marching orders for a late challenge on Pirlo right on the interval whistle.
After a chaotic first half one may have expected a more cagey opening to the second period but remarkably it began in the same vein - within 90 seconds of the re-start, USA were down to nine-men after Pope was dismissed for a second bookable offence for the most ill-advised of attempted tackles on Gilardino.
To compensate for the loss of Pope, Arena introduced defender Jim Conrad for Convey, although the frenetic action continued unabated as Carlos Bocanegra rose to trouble his own goalkeeper Keller, with a header that, fortunately for the Fulham, only clipped the top of the crossbar.
Gilardino continued to probe for Italy and, with Lippi introducing Alessandro Del Piero and Vincenzo Iaquinta, their attacking threat outweighed that of their out-numbered opponents.
In the 65th minute, though, USA thought they had regained the lead through their own substitute DaMarcus Beasley, only for the strike to be chalked off for offside against McBride, who was standing in Buffon's line of view and in an offside position.
Gianluca Zambrotta surged upfield and shot just wide of Keller's left-hand upright but Italy had more concerns of their own with Simone Perrotta limping badly and Lippi having used all his subs.
Perrotta played on manfully and Italy pressed further - Keller denied Del Piero acrobatically after Pirlo dropped a superb pass through to the Juventus frontman.
However Lippi's side failed to find the avenue to a second goal and, when the dust settled, both sides were left to reflect on a point-a-piece.
Alberto Gilardino drew first blood for Italy in the 22nd minute, only for Christian Zaccardo to slice a clearance past Gianliugi Buffon five minutes later and level the match.
That was the end of the scoring but not the action as a spate of elbows and robust tackles produced red cards for Daniele De Rossi (28), Pablo Mastroeni (45) & Eddie Pope (47).
With USA playing virtually the whole of the second half a man down, the onus fell on Italy to find a winner but, in response to the Azzurri fashioning only sporadic opportunities, Bruce Arena's side offered stout resistance.
A draw was, perhaps, the fair result after a match of thrills and spills, although, despite Italy being disappointed with only level-pegging at the final whistle, the point will probably do more for their hopes of reaching the second round than it will USA's.
In a prelude of the indiscretions that were to follow, Francesco Totti was yellow-carded, albeit harshly, for a challenge on Clint Dempsey after just five minutes - that was as close as Italy got to the ball for the first 20 minutes of the match as an aggressive edge to the States' approach constricted time and space in midfield.
Pirlo & co, who admitted only on Thursday that they had not heard of many of their opposition, were caught out by the Americans who, roared on by a vociferous ex-patriot backing in Kaiserslautern, pressed for an opening.
Bobby Convey shot over the bar on the quarter hour and Dempsey drove wide two minutes later.
On 22 minutes, however, USA's game-plan came unstuck - and, due in no small part, to slack marking from a set-piece.
Andrea Pirlo's delivery was true enough and difficult to defend but Bruce Arena will have been asking questions of his side's defence as Gilardino was given the freedom of the area to direct a header from six yards past a helpless Kasey Keller
Just as Italy had claimed a surprise lead so USA equalised in equally unlikely fashion five minutes later as Zaccardo sliced a cross past his own keeper. It was another kamikaze cameo and more was to follow in an increasingly tempestuous match.
Less than 60 seconds later that famous Latin passion descended into a red mist and Italy imploded - De Rossi's blatant elbow on McBride seeing the midfielder dismissed in disgrace by referee Jorge Larrionda as the American left the pitch bloodied.
Marcello Lippi brought on Gennaro Gattuso for Totti and it settled the Azzurri somewhat, although Mastroeni's shot sheared the top of the net before the same player received his marching orders for a late challenge on Pirlo right on the interval whistle.
After a chaotic first half one may have expected a more cagey opening to the second period but remarkably it began in the same vein - within 90 seconds of the re-start, USA were down to nine-men after Pope was dismissed for a second bookable offence for the most ill-advised of attempted tackles on Gilardino.
To compensate for the loss of Pope, Arena introduced defender Jim Conrad for Convey, although the frenetic action continued unabated as Carlos Bocanegra rose to trouble his own goalkeeper Keller, with a header that, fortunately for the Fulham, only clipped the top of the crossbar.
Gilardino continued to probe for Italy and, with Lippi introducing Alessandro Del Piero and Vincenzo Iaquinta, their attacking threat outweighed that of their out-numbered opponents.
In the 65th minute, though, USA thought they had regained the lead through their own substitute DaMarcus Beasley, only for the strike to be chalked off for offside against McBride, who was standing in Buffon's line of view and in an offside position.
Gianluca Zambrotta surged upfield and shot just wide of Keller's left-hand upright but Italy had more concerns of their own with Simone Perrotta limping badly and Lippi having used all his subs.
Perrotta played on manfully and Italy pressed further - Keller denied Del Piero acrobatically after Pirlo dropped a superb pass through to the Juventus frontman.
However Lippi's side failed to find the avenue to a second goal and, when the dust settled, both sides were left to reflect on a point-a-piece.
