Doni - likely to start against Ecuador (Allsport)
DONI SET FOR ECUADOR ROLE
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Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni is ready to plunge Atalanta midfielder Cristiano Doni into World Cup action.
He started with Doni in Thursday's final preparation match and looks set to hand him the left-sided midfield berth for Monday's match against Ecuador.
Doni, who scored 16 Serie A goals from midfield last season, was replaced by Inter Milan's Cristiano Zanetti's 53 minutes into the 80-minute match.
Trapattoni made a flurry of substitutions, but Doni appears to have played his way into the Azzurri line-up.
Italy defeated local team Vegalta Sendai 4-0 with Christian Vieri and Francesco Totti both netting twice.
They were paired together in attack in a move which seemed to indicate Trapattoni's determination to field just two forward.
It had been anticipated that Totti would take up a midfield role, but the veteran national team coach is set to begin with a safety-first approach.
Christian Panucci started on the right side of defence and was among nine players withdrawn in the second half, but he also looks to have won the 'Trap' vote.
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