Italians win fourth World Cup title

Italians win fourth World Cup title

Associated Press Posted: 7 minutes ago  BERLIN, Germany (AP) - Italy won the World Cup in a penalty shootout, beating France 5-3 Sunday after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.

 

David Trezeguet hit the crossbar with France's second spot kick to give Italy its fourth World Cup title, and Fabio Grosso made the deciding kick. Andrea Pirlo, Marco Materazzi, Daniele De Rossi and Alessandro Del Piero also scored for Italy. Sylvain Wiltord, Eric Abidal and Willy Sagnol scored for France. It was the first penalty shootout in a final since the 1994 World Cup. Brazil beat Italy 3-2 in that match. Zinedine Zidane gave France the lead in the seventh minute with a penalty, and Materazzi equalized 12 minutes later. Zidane, playing his farewell game at 34, was sent off for savagely headbutting Materazzi in the chest in an off-the-ball incident 10 minutes from the penalty shootout. Despite playing with a man more Italy could not make the difference. France's penalty was given when winger Florent Malouda went down after a challenge from Materazzi and Fabio Cannavaro. Instead of blasting the ball, Zidane chipped it in off the crossbar and just across the line, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon already down. Italy quickly equalized when Materazzi rose well above France midfielder Patrick Vieira to head home a perfectly curled corner from Pirlo in the 19th minute. Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez's intervention was indecisive, caught between his line and the curling ball.

France's Zinedine Zidane was red carded for headbutting Italy's Marco Materazzi in the chest. (JOHN MACDOUGALL / Getty Images)

Italy came close to taking the lead when the team exposed the French defense on corners again, but the header by Luca Toni slammed against the bar, with Barthez beaten again. And again in the 60th, France struggled to stop Italy's attack. Toni had Barthez beaten but the goal was disallowed for offsides. The two goals and seesaw play were part of a spectacular first hour which had been predicted to be a dull, conservative match between two expert defenses. Once fatigue hit the teams, it turned into a scrappy scramble for survival. Thierry Henry went down in the opening minute when he accidentally banged his head into the shoulder of Cannavaro. He looked dazed, walked off the field under his own power, and resumed play after a few minutes. In the fourth minute, Gianluca Zambrotta was given a yellow card for a late tackle on Vieira just outside the area. Sagnol was given a yellow card in the 12th by referee Horacio Elizondo for entering a challenge on Grosso with his studs showing. It quickly turned into a free-flowing final, with Italy putting together the better passing combinations and in set plays. In the 35th, defender Lilian Thuram was forced into a last-ditch tackle on Toni, who had broken through on the right. After his spectacular start, Zidane showed little in the first half of his farewell game. Italy's defense quickly regrouped after the early goal and, led by captain Cannavaro, dominated most of the time. Henry was the only Frenchman to keep the pressure going. France entered the second half with renewed vigor. In the 50th, Henry turned free from three defenders and sent in a low cross, but Zambrotta was able to clear. Two minutes later, Henry was open in the penalty box but instead of shooting straight away, stopped the ball and let Italian defenders regroup. Malouda twice went through on the left but could not create immediate danger. In the 55th, Vieira went off holding his thigh and was replaced by Alou Diarra. After the disallowed header from Toni, Italy coach Marcello Lippi made two tactical changes in the 61st minute. He took off playmaker Francesco Totti and replaced him with De Rossi, who came back from a four-match suspension for elbowing an opponent in the first round. Forward Vincenzo Iaquinta took the place of midfielder Simone Perrotta. Just after the changes, Buffon made a save on a 10-meter (yard) shot from Henry in the 63rd. Zidane temporarily went off in the 80th holding his right arm after a challenge from Cannavaro and needed medical attention. But his career did not end with injury as he came back on to the cheers of the French in the stands one minute later. With all players visibly tiring, Lippi took off winger Mauro Cammoranesi in the 86th to bring on veteran Del Piero, who scored the second goal in the 2-0 semifinal victory over Germany. In the first half of extra time, France winger Franck Ribery forced a way through the Italian defense on his own in the 100th but his shot from 12 meters (yards) went just wide. He was immediately replaced by Trezeguet. Trezeguet scored the winner in the 200 European Championship final over Italy and immediately positioned himself as the most forward striker. In the 104th, Zidane's header off a cross from Sagnol was stopped by Buffon. In the last half of injury time, Henry surprisingly went off for veteran forward Wiltord. Almost immediately afterward, Zidane and Materazzi got into an argument and seemingly unprovoked, the star player went fully head forward into the defender. At first it was not spotted by the referee but after consultation with the fourth official, Elizondo whipped out the red card for Zidane. Italy went into the game with the same 4-4-1-1 formation used in a 2-0 semifinal win over Germany, with Totti in his usual playmaker role behind Toni. France coach Raymond Domenech kept the same lineup for the fourth straight match. Zidane, playing the final match of his career, led the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Henry was alone in attack, flanked by wingers Ribery and Malouda. Thuram made his 122nd international appearance alongside William Gallas in the center of France's defense. Thuram also ends his international career after the final, as does midfielder Claude Makelele. Edited by desi_grl - 17 years ago

I KNOWWWWWWWWWWWW
Then ending was soooo exicting i was like on the floor 😆
Neha

yeh me 2 i was almost fell down on floor ... the end was soo exciting but as the commentator says tday it was all drama in the game 😆 😆 😆

Materazzi shows his two sides in final
Associated Press
Posted: 43 minutes ago

BERLIN (AP) - Marco Materazzi likes to say that there are two Marco Materazzis.


Both showed up for the World Cup final.

The Italy defender showed off his overly physical - and sometimes violent - side when his foul on Florent Malouda resulted in a penalty kick that gave France a 1-0 lead seven minutes into Sunday's game.

Twelve minutes later, Materazzi headed in Andrea Pirlo's corner kick to draw Italy even.

It was Materazzi's second goal of this World Cup - and second in 32 appearances for Italy, which won its fourth World Cup title with a 5-3 win over France in a penalty shootout after the 1-1 draw.

Materazzi also scored on a header in Italy's first-round win over the Czech Republic. In Italy's next game, though, he was expelled with a straight red card for a tackle.

It was unclear immediately how much impact Materazzi had in inspiring Zinedine Zidane to headbutt him in the chest during extra time Sunday, resulting in a red card for the France captain. The two players traded angry words before the incident.

Materazzi has also had highs and lows in his club career.

He is a standout defender for Inter Milan - and the only member of the club on the national team. In 2004, though, he was banned for two months for punching then-Siena defender Bruno Cirillo in the face.

"That was the other Marco Materazzi," the Italian said after his first goal of the tournament. "I'm not a devil. Sure I've made mistakes, but judge me as a man. I can't tell you how many times my kids have been told at school that I'm a monster.

"You make mistakes in life," Materazzi added. "But then you have to purify yourself, without seeking revenge. Everyone has their destiny."

While his position is central defense, Materazzi is also destined to score occasionally, thanks to his 1.93-meter (6-foot-5) frame.

He almost scored two goals Sunday, but his header off another corner in the 28th minute was blocked by France defender Lilian Thuram.

Zidane sent off in extra time for headbutt

Associated Press
Posted: 8 minutes ago

BERLIN (AP) - France captain Zinedine Zidane was red-carded in the 110th minute of Sunday's World Cup final

France lost to Italy 5-3 on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.

Zidane, who was playing the last soccer match of his career, headbutted Italy defender Marco Materazzi in the chest after the two exchanged words while walking down the field.

After receiving his red card, Zidane walked past coach Raymond Domenech without looking at him, and down the tunnel with his head bowed.

"Zidane being sent off changed everything because even in extra time the Italian team was waiting for only one thing and that was penalties," Domenech said.

Zidane previously said he would quit soccer after this tournament ended.

Earlier in Sunday's match, he gave France the lead with a seventh-minute penalty - his 31st goal for France. It was also his third goal in the championship game of a World Cup. In 1998, his two goals helped France beat Brazil 3-0.

Eight years ago, Zidane was also red-carded in a match against Saudi Arabia. At this World Cup, he collected two yellow cards and was suspended for France's third group match against Togo.

Five years ago, Zidane was red-carded for headbutting Hamburger SV's Jochen Kientz in a Champions League match while with Juventus. But a year later, his volley gave Real Madrid its ninth European title.

Zidane's penalty early in Sunday's match got France off to a perfect start.

He chipped the kick into the air and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon dived to his right. The ball sailed over Buffon's legs, hit the underside of the crossbar and dropped over the line.

Zidane raised an arm in the air as coolly as he had taken the kick.

It was Zidane's 31st goal for Les Bleus in 108 appearances, and fifth in the World Cup. He also scored a second straight penalty after notching the winner in the semifinal match against Portugal and had two goals in the 1998 World Cup final when France beat Brazil 3-0.

He almost scored a late goal Sunday in the first half of extra time, but Buffon tipped his powerful header over the bar.


France's Zinedine Zidane was red carded for headbutting Italy's Marco Materazzi in the chest. (JOHN MACDOUGALL / Getty Images)

Zidane made his France debut 12 years ago against the Czech Republic. He came off the bench with France trailing 2-0, and scored two goals in six minutes - one from his head, one from a dazzling slalom and shot - to salvage a 2-2 draw.

Defender Lilian Thuram made his France debut the same night. Perhaps fittingly, he ended it alongside Zidane. In six major tournaments, they shared the highs and lows, including the 1998 title and 2002's early exit.

France's success at this year's World Cup had much to do with the soon-to-retire Zidane, including the penalty against Portugal.

Taking two steps, Zidane sent the spot kick into the bottom left corner, just out of the reach of Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo Pereira.

"There is always pressure when you take a penalty," Zidane said then. "But it is a positive pressure."

Zidane also scored in the second-round win over Spain, a typically skillful goal which saw him cut inside a defender and then beat goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

His quarterfinal showing against Brazil was one of his best performances and perhaps better than the final eight years ago.

His precise passes split open Brazil's defense, his fakes sent players the wrong way, and he even twice pointed one way as if to indicate the direction of his pass and then turned around sharply in his signature spin move.

It was a far cry from his May 27 performance against Mexico - a landmark appearance for two reasons. It was Zidane's 100th appearance for Les Bleus, and possibly his worst. He looked weary, fell over twice, and gave the ball away seven times. Sports daily L'Equipe marked him 3.5 out of 10 and suggested France could play better without him.

Zidane's response since has been near total silence. Aside from rare television interviews after matches, he has snubbed the press. Privately, he is believed to be furious at some pre-tournament reports that he had lost his edge.



"If we win, it will be wonderful for those who have supported us," Zidane said recently. "I'm not talking about the ones who jumped on the bandwagon, but those who supported us from start to finish."

Six years ago, Zidane starred as France won the 2000 European Championship, and his golden goal penalty downed Portugal in the semifinals.

Zidane, who has played his last club season for Real Madrid, was named FIFA World Player of the Year three times. He won the prestigious Golden Ball in 1998, awarded to the best player in Europe, while with Juventus.

A player of uncommon skill and rare technical poise, Zidane's ability to control almost any ball, his elegance, vision of the game and penchant for big-game goals has seen him compared with some of the greatest creative talents in the game, like Michel Platini and Johan Cruyff.

"Technically, I think he is the king of what's fundamental in the game - control and passing," Platini has said. "I don't think anyone can match him when it comes to controlling or receiving the ball."

In his final match, however, Zidane could not control his temper.

Buffon ends World Cup unbeaten by opponents

Associated Press
Posted: 43 minutes ago

BERLIN (AP) - Italy never lost a game this World Cup in large part because goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was himself unbeatable.

Buffon allowed just two goals in seven games, but neither was scored by an opponent from the run of play.

One score was an own-goal by an Italian defender, the second was a penalty kick that put France up 1-0 before Italy tied it 1-1 and went on to win Sunday's final 5-3 on penalty kicks. Italy's other five games were shutout wins.

"It's never crossed my mind that I would be scored on," Buffon said.

Italy defender Cristian Zaccardo scored an own-goal 27 minutes into Italy's 1-1 draw with the United States in the first round and Zinedine Zidane converted a penalty seven minutes into Sunday's final.

Between the two, Buffon went 460 minutes without allowing a goal - the fourth longest streak in tournament history. Fellow Italian Walter Zenga set the record of 517 minutes in 1990.

About the closest anyone got to scoring on Italy in normal play was in the 103rd minute of the final, when Buffon had to leap high into the air to push a Zidane header over the bar.

Buffon didn't stop any penalties during the shootout - he didn't have to. Italy converted all five of its shots and France's David Trezeguet clanged his attempt off the crossbar.

While Buffon was superb, Italy's defense deserves just as much credit.

"In the end, what has characterized Italy is the group spirit and the absence of egoists," Buffon said.

Grosso comes up 'large' again

Associated Press
Posted: 55 minutes ago

BERLIN (AP) - Fabio Grosso came up "large" again.

The Italy defender converted the decisive penalty in a shootout to win Italy its fourth World Cup on Sunday.

It's not the first time Grosso - whose name translates to large - has lived up to his name.

Grosso earned the penalty that Francesco Totti converted in the final minute of the 1-0 second-round win over Australia and scored with one minute of extra time left in Italy's 2-0 semifinal victory over Germany.

Grosso had a quiet game before he directed his penalty shot perfectly to the right side of France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, giving Italy a 5-3 win in the shootout after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.

Grosso's wife is due to give birth to the couple's first son in September and it's sure to be a festive summer in the Grosso household.

At 29, Grosso is another of Italy's late bloomers like striker Luca Toni, his former teammate at Palermo.

Grosso was a playmaker when he joined a Perugia team coached by Serse Cosmi in 2001.

Cosmi took one look at the 1.90-meter (6-foot-4) Grosso, saw how useful his long legs could be on the flank and made him into a left back.

Grosso still struggles on defense occasionally, and was benched after a less than stellar performance in Italy's opening 2-0 win over Ghana. He regained his starting spot when Cristian Zaccardo scored an own-goal in Italy's second game against the United States.

Offense has never been a problem.

Born in Rome, Grosso has always played for provincial clubs - Chieti, Perugia and Palermo - and has never played in the Champions League like many of his teammates.

That should change next season. Grosso moved to Inter Milan a few weeks ago

Italian fans celebrate in Berlin

Associated Press
Posted: 21 minutes ago

BERLIN (AP) - Italian fans streamed jubilant from Olympic Stadium on Sunday after their team won a toughly fought match against France to take the World Cup final. It's the fourth time Italy has won soccer's biggest prize.

Tied 1-1 after 12o minutes of extra time, Italy topped France 5-3 in a nailbiting shootout.

"I'm very, very happy," said Giagmo Spilletta, sporting an Italian team jersey. "For me - impossible - the champion is Italy!"

Supporters of France were subdued and deflated after the last-minute letdown.

"I'm very disappointed, France had a chance to win but it didn't," said Pierre Fosse, who flew in from Lille two days before to make the game. "But life goes on."

Those not fortunate enough to attend the game chose instead to pack the Fan Mile in downtown Berlin, between the city's landmark Brandenburg Gate and Victory Column. They followed the action on big-screen televisions, wildly waving French and Italian flags.

Some 1 million fans crowded the area, many of whom were on hand earlier in the afternoon to pay tribute to the German team, which took third place in the tournament with a 3-1 victory Saturday over Portugal.

Italy defeated Germany 2-0 in the semifinal.

After their team's victory, Italian fans danced and sang in the streets, hugging one another as fireworks thundered overhead.

Police reported no major incidents, characteristic of the monthlong World Cup.

The tournament ran smoothly without major outbreaks of hooligan violence, neo-Nazi disturbances or trafficking in prostitutes - all of which were predicted.

About one million people had expected to travel to Germany for the games, but more than double that showed up, injecting an estimated €1 billion (US$1.3 billion) into the economy. That is in addition to the estimated €2 billion to €3 billion (US$2.6 million-US$4 billion) in domestic spending boosted by the tournament.

Germany was also able to promote itself on the world stage. A study commissioned by the country's tourist board showed the message got through. Some 43 percent of World Cup visitors were in Germany for the first time, and 91 percent overall felt welcome in the country.

i cant beleiev zindane did that though

I was on my toes but in the end my boyz win😳😉👏