Pazzini replaces injured forwards in Italy's squad

Giampaolo Pazzini was called up to Italy's squad Sunday in place of injured strikers Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino for key World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Ireland.

Pazzini has scored eight goals in 10 games since transferring from Fiorentina to Sampdoria in January. He notched a hat trick in the first game at the new Wembley Stadium two years ago _ a 3-3 draw between the Under-21 teams from Italy and England.

Antonio Di Natale, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Fabio Quagliarella and Giuseppe Rossi were the other forwards called up by coach Marcello Lippi.

Toni, who plays for Bayern Munich, has an Achilles tendon injury, while Gilardino exited Fiorentina's 1-0 win over Siena on Sunday with a muscle problem.

Also unavailable are midfielders Gennaro Gattuso, Mauro Camoranesi and Simone Perrotta.

Along with Pazzini, defenders Marco Motta and Salvatore Bocchetti also received their first call ups, while midfielders Matteo Brighi and Pasquale Foggia _ with one and two appearances, respectively _ rejoined the squad.

Italy is tied for the Group 8 lead in European World Cup qualifying with Ireland. The Azzurri visit Montenegro on Saturday and host Ireland four days later in Bari.

Talented but temperamental striker Antonio Cassano was again left out. Cassano is from Bari and the city's fans made an appeal to Lippi in the form of a large banner at a Serie B match Saturday, but to no avail.

Pazzini plays alongside Cassano at Sampdoria and both scored in a 3-1 win over Torino in Serie A on Sunday.

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Squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Palermo), Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray).

Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Lyon), Marco Motta (AS Roma), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan).

Midfielders: Matteo Brighi (AS Roma), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Pasquale Foggia (Lazio), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan).

Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal).