Italy aim to confirm their place in the last 16 of the World Cup finals by beating the USA in Kaiserslautern on Saturday as they attempt to build on the solid 2-0 victory against Ghana in their opening Group E match.

Italy and the Czech Republic are overwhelming favourites to progress from the group after Bruce Arena's side crashed to a 3-0 defeat against the talented European side in their opening match.

The Italians have had some mixed injury news in the build-up to the game with defender Gianluca Zambrotta having recovered from a thigh injury that kept him out of the Ghana game while midfielder Gennaro Gattuso looks certain to miss the weekend clash with a thigh muscle problem.

Marcello Lippi is expected to bring Zambrotta in to his starting line-up instead of right-back Cristian Zaccardo while Francesco Totti is again likely to start just behind the front two of Alberto Gilardino and Luca Toni.

Andrea Pirlo, who was outstanding against Ghana, is not expecting an easy game against the Americans who he thinks will be keen to bounce back after their Czech defeat.

"It will be a difficult match after the US's first result because they need to win at all costs," he said. "We need to be very attentive as we were against Ghana."

Lippi added: "I said before the game against Ghana that if we didn't win it would be very, very difficult against the US. Now it is just difficult."

The USA are in danger of bowing out of the tournament at the group stage and failing to build on their success in South Korea and Japan four years ago when they reached the quarter-finals.

Midfielder John O'Brien is again expected to start on the substitute's bench as he lacks match fitness but Arena is aware that only a shock victory on Saturday will suffice if they want to extend their stay in the competition.

He said: "We're not in a coma yet but we're not going to play with the same plan that we used against the Czechs. We threw that page away after the game and we'll try to come up with a new one."

DaMarcus Beasley is expected to retain his place in the side after settling his dispute with Arena. The pair exchanged critical words after the Czech game.

Italy, who are unbeaten in their last 19 matches, go in to the match as big favourites to win particularly as they have never lost to the USA in the five matches between the two sides.