Estonia will be full of confidence when they welcome Italy having already made a perfect start in group C when they came from behind last month to beat The Faroe Islands 2-1 at the Lillekula Arena in Tallinn.
Kaimar Saag and captain Raio Piiroja scored deep into injury time to ensure they didn't fall victims to a Faroe Islands team ranked 118 in the world who had taken a shock lead through Joan Edmundsson. However, Estonia coach Tarmo Ruutli is aware they face a herculean task when Italy arrive on Friday night.
A draw against the Italians will be more than acceptable as in four previous meetings between both sides, the last in 1995, Estonia have lost on all occasions, only scoring one goal, compared to Italy's 11.
But, despite major changes in Casa Azzurri, Ruutli will have taken heed from Italy's recet failures. A poor showing at the World Cup, in which they made negative history by crashing out at the group stages, as well as last month's 1-0 friendly defeat to the Ivory Coast would have made for some comfortable pre-match reading.
"It's obvious that we are not favourites [against Italy], but that doesn't mean that we are not expected to do well," the 55-year-old tactician and former midfielder told the press.
"Surprises could happen."
Confident talking then from Ruutli who knows that Italy's new changes means they are still yet to gel fully as a unit and could be rattled by a decent home performance here.
New Beginnings For Italy As They Aim For Maximum Points
Andrea Pirlo set the tone for Cesare Prandelli's squad as they prepare for their first competitive game under the former Viola coach.
The midfielder, who returns to the squad alongside Alberto Gilardino and Giampaolo Pazzini, who were both dropped for the Ivory Coast clash is hopeful two wins from this round of qualifiers, the other against the Faroe Islands next week, will shape Italy's qualifying campaign.
"We need to refind our quality after the World Cup, but we hope to win our first two games which are very important for us," Pirlo said on Wednesday.
Prandelli meanwhile knows he has to mastermind a convincing performance to help boost moral following the shambles at the World Cup. There are several new additions to the team who could all earn their first caps for the Azzurri.
Luca Antonelli, Cesare Bovo, Lorenzo De Silvestri and Daniele Gastaldello, all defenders, are in. A nation expects decent results against Estonia and the Faroes. Both games are, it's fair to say, winnable for la Nazionale.
But just one game in the bag post-South Africa, some critics will be concerned with the team for fitness and form. Serie A has just got underway, with players still not looking 100 percent.
Team News
Estonia
Goalkeepers
Sergei Pareiko (FC Tom Tomsk), Mihkel Aksalu (Sheffield United FC), Artur Kotenko (AEP Pahos FC)
Defenders
Enar Jääger (Aalesunds FK), Raio Piiroja (Fredrikstad FK), Alo Bärengrub (FK Bodø/Glimt), Tihhon Šišov (Xäzär Länkäran FK), Taavi Rähn (FC Baltika Kaliningrad), Dmitri Kruglov (İnter Bakı PİK), Gert Kams (FC Flora Tallinn), Igor Morozov (FC Levadia Tallinn), Andrei Sidorenkov (SønderjyskE)
Midfielders
Ragnar Klavan (AZ Alkmaar), Aleksandr Dmitrijev (Hønefoss BK), Joel Lindpere (New York Red Bulls), Sander Puri (Larissa FC), Konstantin Vassiljev (NK Nafta Lendava), Ats Purje (AEP Pahos FC), Martin Vunk (Syrianska FC)
Forwards
Andres Oper (no club), Sander Post (FC Flora Tallinn), Kaimar Saag (Silkeborg IF), Tarmo Kink (Middlesbrough FC), Sergei Zenjov (FC Karpaty Lviv), Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko (UD Leiria)
Probable Starting XI: Pareiko, Piiroja, Kruglov, Dmitrijev, Puri; Oper, Kink, Vassiljev, Klava; Jaager, Barengrub.
Italy
Luca Cigarini replaces the injured Claudio Marchisio. Daniele De Rossi is available to start and Antonio Cassano could get the nod following a back injury scare.
Goalkeepers
Antonio Mirante (Parma FC), Salvatore Sirigu (US Città di Palermo), Emiliano Viviano (Bologna FC)
Defenders
Luca Antonelli (Parma FC), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Cesare Bovo (US Città di Palermo), Mattia Cassani (US Città di Palermo), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Lorenzo De Silvestri (ACF Fiorentina), Daniele Gastaldello (UC Sampdoria), Cristian Molinaro (VfB Stuttgart)
Midfielders
Luca Cigarini (Sevilla FC), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Andrea Lazzari (Cagliari Calcio), Riccardo Montolivo (ACF Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (UC Sampdoria), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)
Forwards
Antonio Cassano (UC Sampdoria), Alberto Gilardino (ACF Fiorentina), Giampaolo Pazzini (UC Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Juventus), Fabio Quagliarella (Juventus), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal CF)
Probable Starting XI: Sirigu; Cassani, Bonucci, Chiellini, Molinaro; De Rossi, Pirlo, Palombo; Cassano, Pazzini, Quagliarella.
Prediction
Estonia 0-2 Italy 
Estonia 0-2 Italy 
