ITALY WERE BEING HELD 1-1 BY THE UNITED STATES AT HALFTIME IN AN EXPLOSIVE GROUP E CLASH ON SATURDAY WITH BOTH TEAMS HAVING A MAN SENT OFF. THE AZZURRI APPEARED TO BE COMFORTABLE WHEN ALBERTO GILARDINO'S DIVING HEADER FROM ANDREA PIRLO'S FREE KICK GAVE THEM A 22ND-MINUTE LEAD. BUT THE ADVANTAGE LASTED JUST FIVE MINUTES AS CRISTIAN ZACCARDO SLICED A BOBBY CONVEY FREE KICK INTO HIS OWN GOAL. THINGS GOT EVEN WORSE FOR ITALY A MINUTE LATER WHEN DEFENDER DANIELE DE ROSSI WAS SENT OFF FOR A BLATANT ELBOW ON BRIAN MCBRIDE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE REFEREE. JUST BEFORE HALFTIME, THOUGH, U.S. MIDFIELDER PABLO MASTROENI WAS GIVEN HIS MARCHING ORDERS FOR A BAD, SLIDING TACKLE ON PIRLO.