Much of the media bemoaned our playing style and the make-up of our squad.
This match was second only to the encounter between the Netherlands and Portugal (which had four, as well as 16 yellows).
While Germany have now lost an international in Dortmund for the first time, Jürgen Klinsmann's squad was still formidable in its desire and obstinacy.There was a justice in Pirlo's key part in the victory, for he epitomised a gift for the sophisticated pass that is missing from Germany's repertoire. Germany 0 - 2 Italy A stonking semi-final was settled by an Italian job with two goals in the final two minutes of extra-time to break German hearts. Europe’s two most successful nations faced each other in Dortmund’s … Castellano; Français; Italiano; Deutsch; Português; Türkçe; Hrvatski; Sign in. There was space to be found behind the Germany back four and when Francesco Totti flighted a through ball five minutes later it was only an unsatisfactory touch by Simone Perrotta that let Lehmann block. English . Germany kept an eye open for any counter-attacks; tempo and boldness were raised following the interval. In the face of such incidents, though, Italy showed a strength of will. A Croatian player was also sent off after having (mistakenly) been given three yellow cards … The 65,000 strong crowd were out in full voice, creating a deafening cacophony of noise. The German people, in the alchemy of a World Cup, had discovered scepticism being transmuted into faith. This, of course, was a cup-tie and it was not obliged to be any more genteel because it took place in the greatest tournament of all. As it was, Italy needed luck after 81 minutes when the referee awarded a free-kick some 20 yards out for an offence that Fabio Cannavaro had committed on Lukas Podolski inside the area. As early as the 11th minute there was an ominous slickness as Grosso went clear and Philipp Lahm had to get in front of Mauro Camoranesi to cover.
Italy. We had done it, against all the odds, in ruining the German’s story we had created our own, one which was far from over.
Where Argentina failed, however, a composed and strong-minded Italy succeeded in closing off all avenues to Germany. Watch full World Cup football matches online on Footballia. The living room was like a shrine to La Nazionale.Amongst all the displays of nationalist pride, there was an uncertainty in the air, the Germans had been playing some exciting football and with the whole nation behind them it seemed as though the story was building towards the grand Hollywood ending.La Nazionale meanwhile had come off the back of another calciopoli scandal, although back then the details were still far from clear, Italian football was seemingly in a state of disarray.