Italy's coach, Marcello Lippi, has been critical of his strikers during training this week. 

Marcello Lippi has been in a fiery mood this week, lambasting his strikers in training over their continued shortcomings. The Italy manager, whose team have struggled to score in recent matches, must hope their game can come together when they take on New Zealand on Sunday.

The defending champions opened their Group F campaign on Monday with a 1-1 draw with Paraguay. The match was marked by the Italians' struggles to create clear-cut chances. They were grateful for an error by the Paraguay goalkeeper, Justo Villar, that allowed Daniele De Rossi to score the equaliser.

Alberto Gilardino started the match as his team's lone striker, with Vincenzo Iaquinta and Simone Pepe on the flanks, and Antonio Di Natale came on as a substitute. None of these players has impressed Lippi in front of goal in training.

"If you don't ever attack the area, you're never going to score," Lippi shouted in one session, throwing a ball into the ground for emphasis. "When your team-mate has the ball you can't wait around watching him. You've got to keep attacking or you're never going to score."

Italy have scored four goals in six games and only one of them came from a forward, Fabio Quagliarella. That was in a World Cup warm-up match against Switzerland which ended 1-1.

De Rossi, who is a midfielder, said: "We have forwards who have scored a lot of goals but let's not forget that we won the last World Cup without a Paolo Rossi and nobody complained."

Federico Marchetti, the Cagliari goalkeeper, will win his seventh cap against New Zealand, in place of the injured Gianluigi Buffon. "Buffon and I are different," he said. "He is faster and more reactive whereas I am more muscular and explosive. I believe that to have courage and awareness of your talent is the basis for success. I feel the confidence of my team-mates and I plan to enjoy the game. I am calm and ready to help the team.

Of Italy's opponents he said: "New Zealand are a physical side. They are strong in aerial situations.

"What would happen if we lost? I am not thinking about that. I think only about winning."