At Italy's Casa Azzurri World Cup base on Monday night, diehard fans found the world champions' drab 1-1 draw with Paraguay hard to stomach.

While Italy laboured in the Cape Town rain, supporters at the team sponsors' base, just south of Pretoria, seemed more interested in their Pasta al Ragu and Pollo Grigliata than the bleak offering served up by Marcello Lippi's team.

Radio Italia's marketing manager Manuela Denti said she felt the Casa was lacking atmosphere.

"It's a lovely place for the fans and sponsors but we need to create a bit more of an atmosphere," she said.

"The players have got stuck in but maybe (the lack of atmosphere is) because it's the first game, there's not many people and it's only the beginning of the adventure."

She was even buoyed by the champions' performance, which was far better than their warm-up showings.

"Before the game I thought it would be worse, but the way we played has given me more hope," she added before stopping short of tipping Italy for a repeat success.

"I believe, but only because I'm Italian."

Strangely, the most excited person in the building was 19-year-old South African law student Sabina Essa.

"I've been supporting Italy my whole life. Ever since I was four years old I had an Italy jacket and I really want them to win the World Cup again," she explained before then writing off their World Cup-winning coach Lippi.

"Lippi makes me sick because he's old and he doesn't know what he's doing.

"He says the older players are charismatic and have experience and the younger guys are fit and on top form and he's got this strategy but they're not playing well."

Overall, the fans here needed more than an hour to find their voices when Daniele De Rossi equalised to earn their team a draw.

Even after the stalemate, Rai TV cameraman Michele Maran was unconcerned by Italy's form.

"Paraguay are the most fearsome team in the group. With respect to New Zealand and Slovakia, beating them should be easier," he said.

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