drunken_master
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 Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:29 am Post subject: |
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Italy secured their place in the quarter finals of the World Cup as an injury time penalty gave them a 1-0 win over Guus Hiddink's Australia.
The Socceroos looked capable of matching Hiddink's shock victory over the Azzurri with South Korea in the 2002 competition after Marco Materazzi's second half sending off, but a late spot kick won somewhat dubiously by Fabio Grosso gave Francesco Totti the chance to send his side into the last eight.
It was cruel on Australia in only their second ever finals as they battled well throughout the game, but it is Italy who progress to a quarter final with either Ukraine or Switzerland after late drama in Kaiserslautern.
Australia started in confident fashion to banish any fear of nerves in one of the biggest games in their history, and after knocking the ball around superbly in the first two minutes they fashioned an early shot at goal when Tim Cahill headed into the hands of Gianluigi Buffon.
However after suffering an early scare Italy's front trio, without the dropped Totti, began to wreak havoc and Fiorentina striker Luca Toni should have scored in the third minute when he headed wide at the back post after a superb cross from Alessandro Del Piero.
Milan's Alberto Gilardino was also a danger for Hiddink's three-man defence and after wasting one good chance after over elaborating in the box, the 23-year-old was then only denied by a fantastic last-ditch block from Scott Chipperfield eight yards out.
Although The Socceroos enjoyed their fair share of possession it was Lippi's Azzurri who possessed the keener threat and Mark Schwarzer, recalled after Zeljko Kalac's horror show against Croatia, looked in for a busy afternoon as he tipped a volley from Gilardino over the bar before producing a smart save with his legs to deny Toni after the prolific front-man produced a quick turn and shot inside the box.
In keeping with the rest of their World Cup campaign Australia were unbowed, and on the half hour mark they had a real chance to take a shock lead after Mark Bresciano's free-kick was headed into the air. The ball ran free as Craig Moore jumped to challenge Fabio Cannavaro, and Chipperfield steamed into the box to belt a strong shot at goal that Buffon clasped at the second attempt.
The Basel man was having an impressive game at both ends of the pitch, and produced another fine block to deny Toni before the Viola star proved wasteful again by heading over when he should have scored after Simone Perrotta nodded back across goal.
Although he seemed to have left his shooting boots at home, the man who scored over 30 goals in Serie A last season was highly effective in his build-up play and a great header almost set up Gilardino as the Milan hit-man was inches away from connecting at the back post.
With time ticking away in the first half, Everton's Cahill proved he is an aerial menace even against the Azzurri's much heralded defence as he narrowly missed a deep cross, and Hiddink's side finished the half in fine spirit against the dominant but wasteful Italians.
The second period started in much the same as the previous 45 minutes, with Toni blasting high over the bar from a good position, but Italy's chances took a nosedive on 50 minutes when Materazzi saw red for an agricultural tackle on Bresciano as the Socceroo tried to burst into the box.
The decision looked somewhat harsh on the Internazionale man who had been the toast of his country against Czech Republic as he had covering defenders, but in any case the Azzurri were left with another unwanted parallel with the events of 2002 when Francesco Totti was dismissed.
Lippi was forced to withdraw the woeful Toni for defender Andrea Barzagli, and Italy's nerves were again put to the test when Chipperfield had another shot repelled by Buffon after a neat spin in the box.
With Australia's numerical advantage came a patent sense of hope, but Andrea Pirlo served a reminder of his danger from set pieces as his floating free-kick threatened to sneak under the bar before Schwarzer tipped over.
Hiddink's side sought to control possession as the prospect of a shock loomed ever larger, but chances were few and far between with Viduka performing in a lone striker's role and Harry Kewell injured.
Italy turned to their own talisman as Totti was introduced after being dropped by Lippi, and the Roma skipper looked keen to influence proceedings as he squared neatly for Perrotta to slam a shot against Lucas Neill.
However it was The Socceroos who wasted a glorious chance in the last ten minutes as Cahill headed over from a Bresciano free-kick, the kind of chance he laps up at Goodison Park.
Parma midfielder Bresciano was looking to have a similar impact on his adoptive home country that Ahn Jung-hwan did four years ago, without the resultant unemployment, and after cutting inside Grosso on the right he curled a left-foot shot over the bar.
As the game entered the final stages, Australia were nearly undone by nervy defending as substitute Vincezo Iaquinta took advantage of a loose ball in the box to send a weak shot at Schwarzer, but they could not hold out deep into injury time.
Grosso cut inside Neill in the penalty box and fell unconvincingly in the box after colliding with the Blackburn man, and Totti finished ruthlessly as he dispatched a superb penalty to banish the spectre of Hiddink for the Azzurri and book them a place in the last eight.
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