Italy pack midfield for opening game against England

MANAUS Brazil (Reuters) - Italy named five midfielders in their team to play England in their opening World Cup Group D match on Saturday in a sign they could try to frustrate Roy Hodgson's young fleet-footed attackers.

Veteran Andrea Pirlo is joined in midfield by Daniele De Rossi, Antonio Candreva, Claudio Marchisio as well as exciting 21-year-old Marco Verratti, who wins his seventh cap.

Italy announced earlier in the day that goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Buffon had failed to recover from an ankle injury. He will be replaced by Salvatore Sirigu.

England named a quick forward line, with a trio of Raheem Sterling, Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney behind sole striker Daniel Sturridge. Sterling was sent off in a friendly against Ecuador earlier this month but wins a place at the expense of Adam Lallana.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Justin Palmer)