July 4: The Daily World Cup Wrap
Italy claimed a deserved victory over the host nation in a fantastic semi-final. Fabio Grosso saved us the drama of another penalty shoot out with a well taken (and timely) strike that left the host nation deflated.
Still, the German team can be proud of their efforts. Before the opening game against Costa Rica only the most optimistic of volk would have backed Klinsmann’s men to be come within a minute of the World Cup final.
Daily Wrap Awards:
Top Man: Referee Benito Archundia, for letting the game flow.
Top Team: Italy.
Top Goal: Grosso’s.
Bit of Skill: Andrea Pirlo’s no-look pass to Grosso.
Saw That Coming: A great game of football.
But Not That: Two goals in the final three minutes.
Germany vs Italy | LiveBlog | Germany World Cup Gear, Italy World Cup Gear
Germany 0
Italy 2 (Grosso 119, Del Piero 121+)
Germany’s brave performance in front of their vocal support looked to have taken them to penalties, where they must have been favourites after looking so impressive from the spot against Argentina. But Italy’s easy on the eye close passing game, which had threatened so often to break the German defence finally did the business with just one minute to go.
Andrea Pirlo, who looked comfortable on the ball all night, looked one way and passed the other to find Fabio Grosso 10 yards from the German goal, and slightly to the right. Grosso hit a curling left footed shot so precise even the impressive Jens Lehmann could do nothing as the ball first bent away from him and then back towards goal before finally nestling just inside the far post.
Germany, with no other option, committed men forward from the restart but Italy countered effectively. Gillardino played fellow substitute Del Piero down a deserted left flank and Del Piero put the result beyond doubt, firing high into the net.
In a sizzling end to end game, the Italians had looked the slightly more cultured team. Their smart short passing was more effective, especially against tired legs in extra time, though Germany’s more direct approach was just as exciting. Cameronesi looked a constant threat down the Italian right and Cannavaro was once again magnificent in the Italian defence. He plays like a man twice his size. Though Totti was occassionally impressive on the ball he produced two bizarre pieces of play acting. First, he did a crash test dummy impression by launching himself at Michael Ballack’s back instead of challenging for a header, then falling to the floor in agony. Later, a high German foot caused Totti to grab his face in pain though the replay showed no contact. It’s a disappointing aspect of a quality player.
Italy through to the final then, and Lippi’s team have produced plenty of attacking football along the way, maybe enough to destroy the stereotype of the defensive Italian national team.
The host nation can hold their heads high. Disaster was predicted before the tournament began and Germans braced themselves for an embarrassment on home soil. Instead they finished just one minute away from the final, played some aggressive attacking football and made a nation proud enough to wave their flags again.
Video highlights here
Fan Photo: German fans…
- Follow the links for more World Cup Blog photos and video, or submit your own to enter our photo and video contest. Thanks to Umbro and Subside Sports for providing the prizes.
- Want to discuss todays action? Go to the Germany or Italy team pages.
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Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 35 comments.
Read the rest of the comments
By Lude | July 5th, 2006 at 2:46 am 
the more i think about … my eyes are getting wet… damn never tought fotball would be so impressive… what a wonderful WC 
Posted from 
Germany
By dirk | July 5th, 2006 at 3:06 am I think Mexico was the big winner (ggod ref; good team. WC to Mexico at the next opportunity. Viva Mexico
Posted from 
United States
By Loone | July 5th, 2006 at 3:19 am It’s funny to read german critics VS italy It’s normal that germans hope in a portugal or france wictory vs us, but i think that italy in this worldcup is a very strong team and we have more worldcup experience than other teams.
I’m sorry for germans people, but that is the football, see you in the next european cup
Posted from 
Italy
By dirk | July 5th, 2006 at 3:27 am Loone, I think if you read most of what has been written here (certainly by Germans), it has been rather complimentary as to the game, without any hint of anti-Italian sentiment. I wish I could say the same of what I have read from the vast majority of Italian fans. Sorry, but if you are wondering why people might be rooting against Italy in the final, you should read the comments from your countrymen
Posted from United States
By Suzie Q | July 5th, 2006 at 3:36 am Yeah, Loone, I agree with Dirk. The Germans have congratulated the Italians. And nobody will ask FIFA to suspend an Italian player. That is the way football is supposed to be played… The team, the players, not the whining press. Italy played very well and so did Germany. Germany did it throughout the cup. Italy looked very ugly against the USA. Other than that, Loone Tuney, think before you write false accusations, Even the the trashy BILD wrote, well the Italians werer just a tick better… Of course I want the French to win. Why? Instead of bashing and bashing and bashing and whining, they play ball. Go France!
Posted from United States
By pao | July 5th, 2006 at 3:42 am I just came back home. Partying all over here in italy too bad i got to work tomorrow, it’ll last all night.
I don’t care someone is keep on saying we are cheats and bs like that. I only know it was one hell of a match, fair, great sportsmanship and we deserved it. I am so proud of our team. Congrats to Germany and their audience. Italy- Germany is a classic it will never let you down.
Posted from Italy
By juillet4 | July 5th, 2006 at 3:43 am Italy beat Germany and USA tied with Italy - Maybe USA record is not so bad this World Cup?
Posted from United States
By Suzie Q | July 5th, 2006 at 4:07 am Juillet4, USA is looking fine and wait when they get their soccer act together….
Pao… Italy played great and so did Germany. One of the best games thus far in the cup. Congratulations..
And also Kudos to the ref….
Posted from United States
By Trav | July 5th, 2006 at 4:31 am Only a Polish fan can sympathize with the German fans tonight. Except I’m not sympathizing. Ever hear of Schadenfreude?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude
Yes it is heartbreaking to lose a game in the last minute isn’t it…….
Posted from 
Canada
By susan | July 5th, 2006 at 4:31 am US lost to Czech Republic while Italy beat them. So how do you figure?
Posted from United States
By iamvoodoo | July 5th, 2006 at 4:34 am juillet4: Italy has 1 goal against them this tournament committed by their own player during the USA game. Also games in the World Cup are not transitive.
My post was so unnecessary hahah…
Posted from Canada
By sudip | July 5th, 2006 at 5:35 am It was the best game so far in this world cup. Amazing goals after hitting the post twice. Great play by Italians equally good by Germans.
Posted from United States
By Pietro | July 5th, 2006 at 5:45 am I don’t understand. People say that italians say bad things and we’re not liked, but it’s not our newspapers that publishes numbers of pizzerias and telling the country to call theam all at once b/c we’re not going to win tonight.
It’;s not our newspaper that portrays italians as parasites as having greasy hair and being all delivery drivers.
When will this stop, we italians are one of the most heart warming people you’ll ever meet but if you talk negatively about us what do you expect. For years we’ve been criticized and been the posterboys of negativety. From losing in catenaccio to baggio missing his pk.
We deserve this and there’s nothing anyone can do to take away what those 23 men have done on the pitch.
Oh and one more thing i wanna see someone get tackled with studs up during a game an dnot roll around in pain afterwards.
Actors HA! laughable man
and another thing, there’s a german driver that’s been winnning with Ferrari for the past 10 years, there should be better sentiment between germany and italy.
Posted from United States
By Vico | July 5th, 2006 at 5:58 am Love Germany. Love Italy. Let there not be any animosity between the two of you!
World Cup = New friends!
Posted from United States
By nathalie | July 5th, 2006 at 6:01 am It was a great game Italy was great and will always be great. Hope they face off with France.
Posted from United States
By troy | July 5th, 2006 at 7:16 am italy played like a good team should today. i was going for germany but italy was brilliant at the end of the game. although i dont think some of there players are good sports. the guy who pretended to make up with ballack only to rip him accross the neck when the hug finished is a classic example. i will be going for france or portugal in the final because i just cant bare too see italy win. but having said that i think you italian fans would be happy i’m not going for italy because i thought spain and argentina would win, then germany and brazil would make the final and they both have lost. so i cant pick a winner and seems the team i go for loses so at that rate itali will win.
Posted from 
Australia
By super_si | July 5th, 2006 at 9:10 am A despondent England reveal their new post World Cup strip…
http://static.flickr.com/70/181081255_e7f145027f_o.jpg
Cheers
super_si
Posted from Australia
By Dominick | July 5th, 2006 at 12:46 pm The game was beautiful, both teams played well, and the best team won.
As for the rest, the Germans were good hosts, but the unfairness shown by some (Beckenbauer, Der Spiegel, “you are pizza delivery men”, repeated over and over, showed the ugliness under the civilized surface.
They deserved the thumping kick in the ass they got. And since they are now fans of France and Portugal, another big one is coming. when Italy will win the World Cup on German soil.
Bye, Fritz! Bye Ballocks!
Posted from United States
By James P. | July 5th, 2006 at 3:37 pm This was a beautiful game, and either team could have won (although the 10 shots by Italy vs Germany’s 2 certainly gave Italy the edge).
People like Dirk and Suzie Q have claimed that Italians have no right to be defensive, as Germany was gracious and Italy were (apparently) poor sports. Clearly they haven’t been following anything on this blog or in the German press, where Italians have been called by ethnic slurs, with constant references to the mafia, diving, primadonnas, etc etc.
Indeed, the comment that Loone was replying to said “for ” MY ” part, i see a lot of divers at the italian team. playing like little girls crying all the time,” which was just echoing what dozens of other German fans have said on this blog alone.
While many people are good sports, it can’t be denied that Italy has faced a lion’s share of racist insults this world cup — heck, it was even commented on and lamented by the US press. I can tell you that I’m sure glad I’m not an Italian in German today.
Posted from United States
By Max | July 5th, 2006 at 3:52 pm While I can’t agree with you about the “Italian in Germany” comment — most Germans I know are the most welcoming people in the world — it’s certainly true that the anti-Italy crowd on this blog is hateful and nasty.
Of course, the Italy supportors are begging for some insults, as there has been a lot of posts saying “we are the best” and so on (although I expect most supporters would do this). However, the level of hatered and racist insults on this blog has gone beyond anything that they could deserve. Bob or some administrator should put a stop to it.
Posted from United States
By Dominick | July 5th, 2006 at 5:38 pm Lude, you are the worst hypocrite that ever existed.
You, as a German, admire the Cote d’Ivoire (100% black) and France, your secular enemy, and whose players are 50% black?
You wrote that as a sort of petty revenge, because you are desperate about your loss.. But I never laughed so much as when I read your post.
The truth is that the Germans despise all foreigners, except those of German stock. Not only the Italians, and the French, and the Greeks, and the Spaniards and Chinese and so on.
Posted from United States
By Sam | July 5th, 2006 at 5:50 pm Dominick, please, that’s unnecessary and entirely untrue. Why on earth shouldn’t a German like the Cote d’Ivoire?? To suggest otherwise is just as racist as the charges you’ve accused Lude of.
Obviously, I entirely disagree with him about “Italians playing like little girls crying all the time,” but then, most people on the losing side of a game see the world quite differently from the rest of us. It’s only natural.
Posted from United States
By Dominick | July 5th, 2006 at 6:00 pm Sam, I agree, let’s be politically correct and say that the Germans are very hospitable to foreigners of all kinds.
But allow me just another little zing: a saw a lot of “little girls crying on the field” and they were Herr Ballack and and temmates rolling on the pitch in tears.
Posted from United States
By Piero | July 5th, 2006 at 6:02 pm Forza Azzuri, Viva Italia. Up your Azz to all you anti Italians.
Posted from United States
By Pietro | July 5th, 2006 at 6:41 pm i’m sick, i can’t read this anymore….you know what’s funny though most people would say half of these things in that manner if it were in person. It’s being behind a computer screen where people feel immune and protected b the things they say., But in the real world it wouldn’t fly and maybe even get hurt by doing it. I wish we could use the same prudence when speaking on here or have a moderator.
Posted from United States
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