Tag Archives: italy

Nobody remembers two others missed as well

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On 17 July 1994, Italy lost the World Cup Final in a penalty shootout to Brazil when their top scorer of the tournament, Roberto Baggio, sent his attempt over the bar.

Simply making it to the Final was a minor miracle for Italy, who opened their tournament campaign with a first-round loss to Ireland. And, as the fourth-best third place team in the group stages, they were the last team to qualify for the knockout rounds. Baggio, who had won the 1993 Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award for his UEFA Cup-winning season with Juventus, shined in the later rounds, scoring five goals–three of them match-winners (against Nigeria, Spain, and Bulgaria)–to take Italy to the final.

Baggio’s scoring streak dried up in the final, as it did for Brazil’s top scorer Romário (who was also on five goals for the tournament). With the match scoreless at the end of extra time, the teams went into penalty kicks to decide the winner. After four kicks each, Brazil were up 3-2 when Baggio stepped up to the spot.

It was his second penalty attempt of the tournament, as his match-winner against Nigeria had come from the spot in the 102nd minute. But this time, he fired the ball over the bar to end the match and give the trophy to Brazil.

He returned to the World Cup with Italy in 1998 to become the only Italian player to score in three different World Cups and his total of nine World Cup goals remains an Italian record.

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You hungry ref?

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“Mmm, tastes like chicken”

Andrea Biondi, who plays (or used to play) for Florence-based amateur side Albereta ’72, has been banned for 20 long months for the paltry crime of trying to force-feed a referee his own whistle.

After being red-carded during Albereta’s recent 2-2 draw with Sancat for verbally abusing the referee, Biondi reportedly grabbed the back of the official’s head and tried to push the whistle into his mouth (sadly, no Youtube footage exists), before continuing to insult and threaten the poor sod as he was forcibly escorted from the field.

Puts Cesc Fabregas, Darren Fletcher et al‘s feeble ref-hounding to shame, no?

Speaking from bitter personal experience, it’s refreshing to know that the kind of psychotic, day-release nutjobs that permeate the amateur game aren’t a solely British phenomenon.

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World Cup 2010 Day Fourteen

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World Cup 2010 Day Fourteen Results

World CupThursday 24th June – Day 14

Paraguay booked their place in the knockout round after an uneventful draw against New Zealand ensured they finished top of Group F. Before the game the All Whites still had a chance of qualifying but blew their chances by not getting a single shot on target

Reigning champions Italy were amazingly knocked out of the World Cup by Slovakia. In what was probably the best game of the tournament so far, Robert Vittek scored a goal in each half to end the Azzurri’s dreams of defending the trophy they won in Germany.
The 2010 World Cup will be remembered as a disaster for Italy, who finished bottom group F and failed to qualify from the group stages for the first time since 1974.

Two stunning first-half free-kicks helped Japan secure a deserved win over Denmark and a meeting with Paraguay in the last 16. Keisuke Honda smashed his shot into the far corner before Yasuhito Endo, curled a fine strike around the wall.
Jon Dahl Tomasson followed up his own penalty to pull one back for Denmark, but Shinji Okazaki sealed a famous victory for Japan.

A late Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s goal amde sure Holland moved into the last sixteen unbeaten. The Dutch had a harder job than they expected against a spirited Cameroon side, who were already eliminated after losing their first two matches.

No red cards today!!!

Group E
Denmark 1 Japan 3
Cameroon 1 Holland 2

Group F
Paraguay 0 New Zealand 0
Slovakia 3 Italy 2

Group EF

If it ended now..

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2 games have been played in each group of the 2010 World Cup, so I was wondering if the group stages was only 2 games – who would play who in the 1st knock out round

Well wonder no more!

If the groups ended now, this is what the knock out stage would look like:

Uruguay v South Korea
Slovenia v Germany
Ghana v USA
Argentina v Mexico
Holland v Italy
Brazil v Spain
Paraguay v Japan
Chile v Portugal

Yep, no France, no South Africa, no Ivory Coast and worst of all – No England!!!

Thankfully there’s still one game left

World Cup 2010 Days Ten and Eleven

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World Cup 2010 Day Ten and Eleven Results

World CupSunday 20th June – Day 10 and Monday 21st June – Day 11

Paraguay made a huge move towards a place in the last 16 with a good win over a sluggish Slovakia that takes them to the top of Group F. A fine shot curled in by Enrique Vera gave them the lead and Carlos Riveros made the game safe with a brilliant late second.

Complete outsiders New Zealand came up with one of the biggest World Cup shocks in recent history by holding defending champions Italy to a memorable draw. Italyi pushed hard for all three points but the All Whites held firm and could almost have snatched an unlikely victory.

Brazil moved into the last 16 with an unspectacular win over Ivory Coast. Two from Luis Fabiano and a third from Elano saw Brazil home before Didier Drogba scored a consolation

Portugal ripped North Korea apart to secure their first win of this World Cup after a quietish first half. They produced a stunning attacking display in the second half to score six goals and spark their tournament into life.

A late header from Mark Gonzalez was enough for Chile to get passed a stubborn Switzerland and virtually ensure thir qualification for the last 16.

More of a one sided game your not likely to see in this World Cup as Spain cruised past Honduras 2-0, although the difference in class was so vast it makes you wonder if they may rue the many chances (including a penalty) they squandered if the group goes down to goal difference

And yet another two red cards..

Group F
Slovakia 0 Paraguay 2
Italy 1 New Zealand 0

Group G
Brazil 3 Ivory Coast 1
Portugal 7 North Korea 0

Group H
Chile 1 Switzerland 0
Spain 2 Honduras 0

Group FGroup GGroup H

Paraguay took a big step towards a place in the last 16 with a stylish victory over a sluggish Slovakia that lifted them to the top of Group F.

A fine goal by Enrique Vera, curled in with the outside of his boot, gave the South Americans the lead and Carlos Riveros made the game safe with a brilliant late strike.


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