Italy and Heart, the Euro Adventure Continues. Quarterfinals vs. Spain

The “biscuits” are only Scandinavian. The miracle of bern repeats itself, but this time it is Italian and not German, like in the 1954 World Cup. Italy gets rid of the Portuguese nightmare and advances to the second round. Italy was great against France and while they beat the French team coached by Domenech 2-0, something they have not done in regular time since the 1978 World Cup, The Netherlands beat Romania 2-0, allowing us to advance to the quarterfinals that will be played on Sunday, the 22nd, in Vienna, against Spain.

Pirlo and DeRossi with a goal each in each half give Italy the win after the team dominated a France that came close to scoring only a few times. Donadoni made some changes with respect to match tied last Friday against Romania. Gattuso was back and Cassano starter. Del Piero and Camoranesi were on the bench. Perrotta played behind the forwards, Toni and Cassano.

Domenech kept Thuram out, with Abidal and Gallas in the middle. Up front, Benzema Henry, Malouda on the bench. The match was refereed by the Slovakian Michel. In Zurich it was raining as it had been for the past two days stopping only a couple of hours this afternoon. When the national anthems wer eplayed a splendid rainbow framed the two teams on the field. Italy in white.

The first minutes were played in anh almost surreal silence, both teams seemed to be afraid. Italy has the first occasion on 4’, rebound Toni, Abidal, the ball is there and Toni shoots but his shot goes off to the side. A good occasion. France loses Ribery after only nineminutes after the player clashes with Zambrotta and spains his left ankle. Nasri substitutes. Italy tries again with Panucci haeding the ball the is blocked by Makelele on the net line. Italy is still not lucky. On 22’, Pirlo serves Perrotta who is all alone in front of Coupet, but is not able to control the ball. On 24’, another fantastic pass from Pirlo to Toni, the forward controls perfectly, but just as he is ready to shoot Abidal fouls and Michel grants the penalty kick to Italy and red-cards Abidal. Andrea Pirlo scorse. Buffon does not watch. Italy goes ahead. Nasri goes out and in goes the former Juventus player, Boumsong. Italy almost scores again with a shot from the distance by DeRossi that is just over the crossbar. Italy almost scores again on 28’ with a shot by Toni. Pirlo serves Toni again and his shot is too high.

Another chance for Toni one minute later, but his aim is off. France has a chance with Henry on 34’: the forward from the right tries with a diagonal shot, but his shot is fortunately off to the side. Italy backs up a little and France tries to push ahead. On 43’, Italy is unlucky again: free kick by Grosso and the ball hits the goalpost after a deviation by Coupet (his teammate on the Lyons team). The first half finishes. The second half starti with a chance for France with a shot by Benzema that is too high. Buffon saves on a shot from the distance by Henry. On 10’, the stadium explodes in a cheer because of the goal by Huntelaar.

On 16’, great pass by Cassano for Toni, by the pass from the Sampdoria player is a little too long. One minute later, Italy scores. Free kick from 30 meters, DeRossi shoots, but Henry deviates the ball and sends Coupet off to the other side of the net. Italy is ahead 2-0. The midfielder makes a crazy rush to Gamberoni on the bench, while Materazzi runs to Buffon. CAmoranesi goes in for Perrotta.

Our team has the best goalkeeper in the world and he proves this on 29’ when he deviates a shot by Benzema. Italy controls the match and Alberto Aquilani makes his debut in these European Championships after going in as the nineteenth player used by Donadoni. The match ends, and the team returns to Baden, in five days they play against Spain, and they will have to do without Pirlo and Gattuso, both disqualified.

Here is the scoreboard of the match: FRANCE-ITALY 0-2

France (4-4-2): Coupet; Clerc, Abidal, Gallas, Evra; Govou (21’ st Anelka), Toulalan, Makelele, Ribery (9’ pt Nasri- 25’ pt Boumsong), Benzema, Henry. Substitutes: Frey, Mandanda, Thuram, Squillaci, Sagnol, Vieira, Malouda, Diarra, Gomis. Head coach: Domenech

Italy (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso; Gattuso (36’ Aquilani), De Rossi, Pirlo (10’ st Ambrosini); Perrotta (19’ st Camoranesi); Toni, Cassano. Substitutes: Amelia, De Sanctis, Gamberini, Barzagli, Materazzi, Del Piero, Borriello, Quagliarella, Di Natale. Head coach: Donadoni

Referee: Michel (Svk)
Scorers: 24’ pt penalty kick Pirlo, 17’ st De Rossi

Notes: yellow-carded Evra, Pirlo, Chiellini, Govou, Gattuso, Boumsong, Henry. Recovery 3’ pt, 3’ st. Spectators about 30,585.


Text Source: FGCI (Italian Soccer Federation) http://www.figc.it/en/204/19021/2008/06/News.shtml
Image Source: Euro 2008 (http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/index.html)

Italy 90’ of Emotion and Bad Luck: All Depends on Tuesday

The score was 1-1 in Zurich. A good Italy, that is not able to beat Romania despite dominating the field. Lobont, the Romanian goalkeeper, was able to save just about everything and in the final minutes Buffon was able to black a penalty kick by Mutu after a foul that only the referee saw, the same referee that in the first half had annulled a regular goal to Luca Toni.

Donadoni chnaged the team with respect to the one that went on the field in Bern. The scheme is 4-2-3-1. Five new players with Grosso, Chiellini, De Rossi, Del PIero and Perrotta. Del Piero captain. Even Piturca lined up his team with three players behind Mutu and Nicolae, but the three are Petre, Codrea and Chivu who are defenders for the most part. Chivu (Inter) and Mutu (Fiorentina) are the “Italian” players for Romania, along with the former “Italians” Lobont (Fiorentina) and Contra (Milan), with the Lazio player, Radu, on the bench.

The two teams start out studying themselves: the place at stake is very high. On 9’, Italy has the first occasion: Camoranesi for Del Piero, the ball is blocked, cross by Perrotta for Del Piero who tries to head the ball, but the ball is deviated by the defender even tough the referee does not give the corner to Italy. Romania tries on 15’ with Mutu, but Buffon is ready.

Italy starts off again and Toni has a good chance but his shot is high. The Azzurri have chances with Grosso down the left touch and Buffon is still ready after a free kick by Tamas from 30 meters off.
Romania almost goes ahead on 19’: free kick by Chivu, ball deviated by the back of Panucci and hits the goalpost, then Zambrotta sends the ball off. The Romanians lose Radoi, injured, and Dica goes in as substitute. Italy again with Grosso for Del Piero whose header goes off to the side on 27’. Italy unstoppable: Toni tries to head the ball, but the net defended by Lobont is untouchable. Romania tries with a shot from the distance by Rat that goes off to the side.

The Azzurri play better, but are not able to score. Italy again on 39’ with Zambrotta from the right, Toni crosses to Perrotta shoes shot is deviated into a corner kick.
Toni heads the ball and Lobont saves, but the ball rebounds and Italy tries again but Lobont sends the ball off. The Azzurri deserve to be ahead. Toni scores, on a cross by Zambrotta, but the referee annulls for an offsides that was not there. Italy is just not lucky.

The first half ends 0-0. The second half begins with Italy pushing ahead, the Romanians, however, play with ten players behind the line. Mutu tries on 9’, but Buffon saves. But Buffon can do nothing on 10’ with Zambrotta fails a back pass with his head, and Mutu gets the ball. For the Fiorentina player the goal is a piece of cake to score. It is a curse, but Italy continues: corner kick by Pirlo, header by Chiellini and Panucci from two meters off, scores, a goal that took four years to score.

Cassano in for Perrotta and on 18’, Cassano invents for Del Piero who sends an assist for Toni who is not able to score. Romania has a chance on 25’ with Nicolae, but Italy saves. Cassano again for Toni, cross for De Rossi, header and miracle by Lobont. Lobont saves again on a header by Toni. Only Italy on the field. But then there is the masterpiece by the referee Henning who on 26’ grants a penalty kick for contact between Panucci and Nicolae, a foul that only the referee saw. But justice does exist and has the shape of Gigi Buffon who blocks the penalty kick by Mutu. The score remains 1-1. On 42’, Italy again but Toni is not able to score after slipping on the cross from Cassano. The Azzurri try in every way possible, but the match remains 1-1. Now we have to wait until Tuesday to see if Italy will continue.

ITALY (4-2-3-1): Buffon; Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso; Pirlo, De Rossi; Camoranesi (40’ st Ambrosini), Del Piero (32’ st Quagliarella), Perrotta (12’ st Cassano); Toni. Substitutes: Amelia, De Sanctis, Barzagli, Gamberini, Materazzi, Gattuso, Aquilani, Di Natale, Borriello. Head coach: Donadoni

ROMANIA (4-1-3-2):Lobont; Contra, Tamas, Goian, Rat; Radoi (25’ pt Dica); Petre (14’ st Nicolita), Codrea, Chivu; Mutu (43’ st Cocis), D. Nuculae. Substitutes: Popa, Stancioiu, Marica, Sapunaru, Ghionea, Moti, M. Niculae, Cristea, Radu. Head coach: Piturca

Referee: Henning Ovrebo (Nor)
Scorers: 9’ st Mutu (R), 11’ st Panucci (I)

Note: yellow-carded Mutu, Chivu, Pirlo, Goian, De Rossi. Extra-time: 3’ pt, 3’ st. Spectators 30,858

Text Source: FGCI (Italian Soccer Federation) http://www.figc.it/en/204/19005/2008/06/News.shtml
Image Source: Associated Press

Two Weeks to Euro 2008; Let the Soccer Insanity Begin

Two weeks to Euro 2008. Let the insanity begin.

With the nations participating in the tournament having already named their provisional squads, they will complete those teams by the middle of next week at the latest.

Some surprises.

Italy named 24 players so they have one to cut. The biggest surprise to their list is Antonio Cassano, the talented forward whose most descriptive nickname among many, is Peter Pan.

Shock is the word used most often in Italy when the decision was announced.

Coach Roberto Donadoni, who was given a two-year contract extension (only good if the Italians get to the semifinals of the tournament or beyond), is playing with fire with Cassano.

Cassano hasn’t played with the national team since September 2006.

“I’m not taking any chances with Cassano,” Donadoni said. “He is not a youngster any more and knows what it means to be a member of a group. I know perfectly well what he can give in technical terms.”

If Donadoni is going to go out, he’s going to go out on his own terms.

Often showing the maturity of Peter Pan, Cassano is likely to fly off the handle and get himself in trouble on the field.

If Cassano shows any sign of making trouble before the final team is named, he’ll be sent home.

Source: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1040764