Balotelli, Di Natale study in contrasts

Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Monday, Jun. 11, 2012

GDANSK, Poland -- Mario Balotelli confirmed his reputation as an uncontrollable talent. Antonio Di Natale confirmed his as a late-blooming but utterly pure goalscorer.

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GDANSK, Poland -- Mario Balotelli confirmed his reputation as an uncontrollable talent. Antonio Di Natale confirmed his as a late-blooming but utterly pure goalscorer.

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This article was published 11/06/2012 (5205 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GDANSK, Poland — Mario Balotelli confirmed his reputation as an uncontrollable talent. Antonio Di Natale confirmed his as a late-blooming but utterly pure goalscorer.

The study in contrasts could not have been greater between the two Italy forwards during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Spain at the European Championship.

The 21-year-old Balotelli earned one yellow card and could have easily been handed another, then wasted his best scoring chance by inexplicably waiting too long to shoot.

The 34-year-old Di Natale scored on his first chance, five minutes after replacing Balotelli, to give Italy a short-lived lead over the defending and world champion.

Di Natale has scored 20 or more goals the past three seasons with unsung Udinese in Serie A, but until now he hadn’t done anything too memorable with Italy.

After collecting a pass from Andrea Pirlo just as he slipped in between two defenders, Di Natale then expertly shot around Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the 61st minute.

“It’s my best goal with the national team shirt,” Di Natale said. “(Pirlo) did a great job of getting me the ball in the area, then I did well to take advantage of it.”

Di Natale also had a great chance to restore Italy’s lead in the 77th, but missed a difficult volley from the edge of the box.

Balotelli’s aggressiveness drew the attention of Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai, first with a verbal warning after the Italy forward collided with Gerard Pique, then with a yellow card for a foul on Jordi Alba in the 37th.

In the 53rd, Balotelli dribbled in all alone on goal, but then slowed down just enough to let Sergio Ramos catch up to strip him of the ball. Three minutes later, Balotelli was on the bench.

“I’m not holding anything against him,” Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said. “I’m not sure what happened — maybe he had two options and he couldn’t choose one.”

— The Associated Press