Azzurri in World Cup quarter-finals...

A last-gasp penalty goal against Australia, scored by Francesco Totti, has inevitably opened new horizons for Marcello Lippi's Italy at the World Cup finals in Germany.

The three-times world champions, yet again, were far from convincing but their sheer determination and willpower to make it to the last eight saw them through.

One thing is clear though, this Italy side has the character of its mentor Lippi. He sticks to his guns when it comes to choosing the starting line-up and even more, takes everyone by surprise when he makes his substitutions.

On many a time, the changes seemed absurd but the results, so far, prove Lippi right.

For instance, why does Lippi prefer Vincenzo Iaquinta instead of the tried-and-tested Filippo Inzaghi? For the critics, this decision remains an unsolved mystery.

But the tournament has now reached a point where the final score matters most. It is useless playing a game of heroes, like Mexico did against Argentina on Saturday, and still get knocked out.

Lippi has moulded a solid group. He is keeping all his players on their toes. Apart from the two reserve goalkeepers and Lazio's Massimo Oddo, the Italy coach has utilised all players in his squad and this says a lot.

Not even 2005/06 Serie A top-scorer Luca Toni has his place guaranteed in the starting line-up.

Perhaps Italy's forte lies in a healthy dressing room environment which Lippi has managed to foster in his first two years in the job.

Apart from that, this Italy side has not and, in all probability, will not produce football which is pleasing to the eye. The way Italy are playing now brings to mind the Azzurri team that reached the 1994 World Cup final in the US.

No doubt, this is a strong comparison because Italy still need to get past two rounds to reach the Berlin final on July 9. But, the omens are all there. The quality of the players and the coach are not up for discussion.

But for Italy to make it to the final they have to avoid getting a player sent off, and, even worse, concede ball possession cheaply to their opponents.

Strangely enough, these two factors depend exclusively on Lippi's tactical ploy.

In all of their first four World Cup outings, bar the game against the Czech Republic, Lippi has always deployed a 4-3-1-2 system with either Francesco Totti or Alessandro Del Piero just behind the two strikers, namely, Toni and Alberto Gilardino.

Totti is far from his best. On the other hand, Del Piero has been decisive for Juventus to win their 29th Scudetto last season but only when he was introduced as a second-half substitute to replace either David Trezeguet or Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Such a module, with a schemer behind the two strikers, would have been Italy's winning card if the physical form of all players, especially the schemer, was excellent.

But this is not the case.

The way Lippi is deploying Italy at present is inevitably weakening the three-midfield compartment because Totti and Del Piero are not fit enough to help Andrea Pirlo and company when it comes to do pressing and recover lost balls.

The physical fitness of the key players is superb because otherwise, Italy would not have coped with Australia with a man less for the entire second half.

However, by now, everyone has become used to Lippi's changes.

Against the Czechs, he took everyone by surprise when he dropped Toni in favour of an extra midfielder. Against the Australians, he did the same when he started with Del Piero at Totti's expense.

For the game against Ukraine, Lippi has to work more on psychology. Some players seem to overreact mainly to fouls and the way they tackle opponents.

Having had two players sent off in four games is not a pleasant statistic. Italy risked seriously against the US when Daniele De Rossi was dismissed in the first half. Similarly, on Monday, after Marco Materazzi was harshly shown a straight red, the Azzurri had to play a containing game instead of venturing forward in search of a winner.

The way forward can be as simple or as complicated as the Azzurri can make it. The Italians sometimes complicate their own lives in such competitions.

This does not depend on the strength of their opposition. On the contrary, the stronger their opponents, the better the Italians usually play.

It is a psychological factor whereby the Italians have to stand up and be counted.

Opponents are to be respected... but eventually beaten.