Mario Balotelli's Super Goal Lifted Italy Over England In His World Cup Debut (VIDEO)

WATCH: Super Mario Gives Italy Lead Over England
Italy's Mario Balotelli (9) heads the ball past England's goalkeeper Joe Hart (1) to score his side's first goal during the group D World Cup soccer match between England and Italy at the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, Saturday, June 14, 2014. (Antonio Calanni)
Italy's Mario Balotelli (9) heads the ball past England's goalkeeper Joe Hart (1) to score his side's first goal during the group D World Cup soccer match between England and Italy at the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, Saturday, June 14, 2014. (Antonio Calanni)

Mario Balotelli isn't wasting any time making this a World Cup to remember.

The mercurial Italy striker scored his first career World Cup goal to send Italy to a 2-1 win over England as the two European powers in Group D battled in the Amazon on Saturday. With the teams deadlocked at a goal apiece in the 50th minute in Manaus, Italy midfielder Antonio Candreva delivered a pin-point, right-left cross that Balotelli met near the far post. The 23-year-old who got engaged shortly after arriving in Brazil, nodded the ball past England goalkeeper Joe Hart to stake Italy to a 2-1 lead it would not relinquish.

Before You Go

FBL-WC-2014-MATCH08-ENG-ITA

PHOTOS: Italy vs. England

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot