spain vs italy...
Spain vs Italy: 4-2 (a.p.s.o.)
Spain: Casillas - Ramos, Puyol, Marchena, Capdevila - Senna -
Iniesta (
Cazorla 59'), Xavi (Fàbregas 59'), D. Silva -
Villa, Torres (Güiza 85')
Italy: Buffon - Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso - Aquilani (del Piero 108'), de Rossi,
Ambrosini - Perrotta (Camoranesi 58') - Cassano (di Natale 74'), Toni
If I said that I died a thousand deaths during this game, it would be a total understatement. The only time I remember being so excited and afraid at the same time is Germany's World Cup 2006 semifinal, and it figures that the opponent back then was the same as last night. There's something about Italy that scares me. Don't know if it's their bloody luck or the fact that they can destroy players with incessant little fouls that nobody punishes them for. Fortunately, the chance of the latter was pretty little considering that Gattuso and Pirlo weren't playing, but the chance of the former became bigger with the second.
Maybe the UEFA's decision to choose a German referee to lead this match was the wrong one. I can't look into Herbert Fandel's head, and he's usually very reluctant to grant penalties anyway, but in this game, it almost seemed like he thought he wasn't allowed to blow the whistle against Italy because otherwise everyone would say that he's still not over the World Cup 2006 semifinal. During the first 20 minutes of the game, there were two very dubious scenes in Italy's box already. One time Torres was brought down by two Italians, and the other time an Italian kicked Villa's standing leg away instead of hitting the ball. (I don't remember who did it, I was too enraged to write it down.) The referee's whistle remained silent both times. And then, in the 42nd minute, mere inches out of Italy's penalty area, Grosso stepped directly on David Silva's foot and made him fall down. There was no other Italian around him. Fandel didn't blow the whistle this time either. Ironically enough, he decided to give David Villa a yellow for diving when it was glaringly obvious that he merely slipped (and immediately apologised for it!). GAH. Considering this ridiculous amount of luck on the Italian side, I was already worrying myself silly about my poor little Spaniards. Still hoping they'd win this, of course, but not really believing it could happen. The Spanish played their hearts out, started attack after attack (despite the frustration that kept growing inside them with every time they failed), had lots and lots of ball possession whereas the Italians just watched them and occasionally kicked one of their passes out of their own box. Yet, their faces showed utter confidence. They seemed to be 100% convinced that they'd win this. And that's what nearly drove me up the wall. How can a team seriously have faith in winning a game if they play like this? Not to mention that it would have been incredibly unfair if the Italians had won because they didn't do ANYTHING for the game and just watched the Spanish do all the work.
During extra time, the Italians did a bit more, but their attacks were either ended by a bad pass or Toni's incompetence. (Luca Toni was actually the only Italian I felt sorry for, even though he disappointed me with two very bad dives that the referee fortunately recognised as such.) When Donadoni brought del Piero in the 108th minute, my déjà-vu reached disconcerting proportions. During the World Cup, if you remember, Italy scored two late goals in extra time against Germany (who had been the more active, more committed team before), one goal by Grosso and one by del Piero. Both of them were on the pitch last night. It was extra time. Doesn't take any more than this to destroy the last grain of my certainty that Spain actually stood a chance. Yet, thanks to the Spanish defense who remained concentrated and solid throughout the whole 120 minutes, thanks to a brilliant Iker Casillas, who made two amazing saves, and last but not least thanks to an incredibly agile David Silva who tirelessly kept preparing attacks and kept the ball away from Spain's box as much as possible, Italy didn't manage any goals during extra time.
Not that this made me feel any better. Italy had won the penalty shoot-out in the World Cup final. Spain had lost three quarterfinals (if I remember correctly), all of them on penalties. Granted, both teams had world class goalkeepers last night, but there still was luck to consider. Italy had played very badly in the 120 minutes before. They had been lucky enough not to get two penalties and one free-kick in a very dangerous position against them. It couldn't have been more unfair for them to win the game. Three good reasons for me to believe that they'd win in the end. They'd never wasted a chance to piss on Justice, and I didn't think they'd start now. How wrong I was.
The penalty shoot-out:
1. Villa scored.
2. Grosso scored.
3. Cazorla scored.
4. de Rossi missed. When he stepped towards the penalty spot, I begged for him to miss because he's a racist and a homophobe and I hate him passionately. I don't know if Casillas caught any of my amateurish attempts at telepathy, but he saved de Rossi's shot - and I died of squee. I would have married Iker right then and there, if it had been possible.
5. Senna scored.
6. Camoranesi scored.
7. Güiza missed. The Primera División's top scorer, who should actually know how to put the ball into the net, sent a very lame penalty kick towards Buffon, who caught it. Ironic, huh? (I can smile about it now, but last night, I was completely devastated.)
8. di Natale missed. Funnily enough, the Spanish crowd had barracked him during almost all of extra time because he remained on the floor after a challenge (not a foul) for so long that they believed he was just killing time. Did that break him? Casillas had no difficulty saving his penalty.
9. Fàbregas scored. The youngest player of this Spanish team had the biggest burden, but kept his nerve. In an interview after the game, he said that anyone could have taken this penalty, but he felt comfortable and therefore he did it.
Iker Casillas was rightfully awarded Man of the Match, but there should have been awards for Silva (who was the best man on the pitch throughout the whole game) and Fàbregas as well. I'm so fucking proud of them. Not just of those three, of the whole Spanish team. What I said after the game against Sweden applies even more here. Spain know how to play pretty football, and they show it whenever they can. Yet, there are some teams who do everything to prevent pretty football, who are determined to make the game boring. Some teams surrender to that, not knowing what to do. The Spanish, however, don't let it get them down. With patience and discipline, they follow their strategy no matter what happens, and it's paying off.
Before the Euro, I told a friend that whoever kicks the Italians out would win the tournament. Spain really really deserve it, especially after this game.
Spain: Casillas - Ramos, Puyol, Marchena, Capdevila - Senna -
Iniesta (
Cazorla 59'), Xavi (Fàbregas 59'), D. Silva -
Villa, Torres (Güiza 85')
Italy: Buffon - Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso - Aquilani (del Piero 108'), de Rossi,
Ambrosini - Perrotta (Camoranesi 58') - Cassano (di Natale 74'), Toni
If I said that I died a thousand deaths during this game, it would be a total understatement. The only time I remember being so excited and afraid at the same time is Germany's World Cup 2006 semifinal, and it figures that the opponent back then was the same as last night. There's something about Italy that scares me. Don't know if it's their bloody luck or the fact that they can destroy players with incessant little fouls that nobody punishes them for. Fortunately, the chance of the latter was pretty little considering that Gattuso and Pirlo weren't playing, but the chance of the former became bigger with the second.
Maybe the UEFA's decision to choose a German referee to lead this match was the wrong one. I can't look into Herbert Fandel's head, and he's usually very reluctant to grant penalties anyway, but in this game, it almost seemed like he thought he wasn't allowed to blow the whistle against Italy because otherwise everyone would say that he's still not over the World Cup 2006 semifinal. During the first 20 minutes of the game, there were two very dubious scenes in Italy's box already. One time Torres was brought down by two Italians, and the other time an Italian kicked Villa's standing leg away instead of hitting the ball. (I don't remember who did it, I was too enraged to write it down.) The referee's whistle remained silent both times. And then, in the 42nd minute, mere inches out of Italy's penalty area, Grosso stepped directly on David Silva's foot and made him fall down. There was no other Italian around him. Fandel didn't blow the whistle this time either. Ironically enough, he decided to give David Villa a yellow for diving when it was glaringly obvious that he merely slipped (and immediately apologised for it!). GAH. Considering this ridiculous amount of luck on the Italian side, I was already worrying myself silly about my poor little Spaniards. Still hoping they'd win this, of course, but not really believing it could happen. The Spanish played their hearts out, started attack after attack (despite the frustration that kept growing inside them with every time they failed), had lots and lots of ball possession whereas the Italians just watched them and occasionally kicked one of their passes out of their own box. Yet, their faces showed utter confidence. They seemed to be 100% convinced that they'd win this. And that's what nearly drove me up the wall. How can a team seriously have faith in winning a game if they play like this? Not to mention that it would have been incredibly unfair if the Italians had won because they didn't do ANYTHING for the game and just watched the Spanish do all the work.
During extra time, the Italians did a bit more, but their attacks were either ended by a bad pass or Toni's incompetence. (Luca Toni was actually the only Italian I felt sorry for, even though he disappointed me with two very bad dives that the referee fortunately recognised as such.) When Donadoni brought del Piero in the 108th minute, my déjà-vu reached disconcerting proportions. During the World Cup, if you remember, Italy scored two late goals in extra time against Germany (who had been the more active, more committed team before), one goal by Grosso and one by del Piero. Both of them were on the pitch last night. It was extra time. Doesn't take any more than this to destroy the last grain of my certainty that Spain actually stood a chance. Yet, thanks to the Spanish defense who remained concentrated and solid throughout the whole 120 minutes, thanks to a brilliant Iker Casillas, who made two amazing saves, and last but not least thanks to an incredibly agile David Silva who tirelessly kept preparing attacks and kept the ball away from Spain's box as much as possible, Italy didn't manage any goals during extra time.
Not that this made me feel any better. Italy had won the penalty shoot-out in the World Cup final. Spain had lost three quarterfinals (if I remember correctly), all of them on penalties. Granted, both teams had world class goalkeepers last night, but there still was luck to consider. Italy had played very badly in the 120 minutes before. They had been lucky enough not to get two penalties and one free-kick in a very dangerous position against them. It couldn't have been more unfair for them to win the game. Three good reasons for me to believe that they'd win in the end. They'd never wasted a chance to piss on Justice, and I didn't think they'd start now. How wrong I was.
The penalty shoot-out:
1. Villa scored.
2. Grosso scored.
3. Cazorla scored.
4. de Rossi missed. When he stepped towards the penalty spot, I begged for him to miss because he's a racist and a homophobe and I hate him passionately. I don't know if Casillas caught any of my amateurish attempts at telepathy, but he saved de Rossi's shot - and I died of squee. I would have married Iker right then and there, if it had been possible.
5. Senna scored.
6. Camoranesi scored.
7. Güiza missed. The Primera División's top scorer, who should actually know how to put the ball into the net, sent a very lame penalty kick towards Buffon, who caught it. Ironic, huh? (I can smile about it now, but last night, I was completely devastated.)
8. di Natale missed. Funnily enough, the Spanish crowd had barracked him during almost all of extra time because he remained on the floor after a challenge (not a foul) for so long that they believed he was just killing time. Did that break him? Casillas had no difficulty saving his penalty.
9. Fàbregas scored. The youngest player of this Spanish team had the biggest burden, but kept his nerve. In an interview after the game, he said that anyone could have taken this penalty, but he felt comfortable and therefore he did it.
Iker Casillas was rightfully awarded Man of the Match, but there should have been awards for Silva (who was the best man on the pitch throughout the whole game) and Fàbregas as well. I'm so fucking proud of them. Not just of those three, of the whole Spanish team. What I said after the game against Sweden applies even more here. Spain know how to play pretty football, and they show it whenever they can. Yet, there are some teams who do everything to prevent pretty football, who are determined to make the game boring. Some teams surrender to that, not knowing what to do. The Spanish, however, don't let it get them down. With patience and discipline, they follow their strategy no matter what happens, and it's paying off.
Before the Euro, I told a friend that whoever kicks the Italians out would win the tournament. Spain really really deserve it, especially after this game.