FIFA World Cup 2006 [R]

Most bizarre!

wow

The Italians were better, not two goals, but nevertheless better.

However, no-one could have honestly imagined that we'd reached the hlf-finals ... four weeks ago!

I don't think the Italliens played better, they did win however.

Wonderful game, thought both sides put on a real show but at their best the Italians are a wonderful footballing side and it showed, for me their ability to keep the ball allied with the ability to do something with the it is just about the best in the business. It was great to see them come out and attack in the fashion they did. Fair play to Germany though, they've put on a brilliant tournament. The Italians just a bit better today I guess.

That was one of the best games of the world cup, both teams deserved to win, i am glad it wasn't settled on the spot. Well done Italy hard luck Germany

Holy effin ****!!!

That was INCREDIBLE!

unf*ckingbelievable...

I had forgotten how good the Italians actually are.

Sorry that it did not go to the script, Walter. I thought the Jerries were destined for the final, I really did.

Marvellous game of football. I hope they have some energy left for the final.

Sympathies to the Germans ... you played well.

In fact, I went to see the game determined to support the Azzurri - they played Germany after all - but I gotta admit that as the match proceeded, I found myself unwittingly nodding at German moves, and mostly, frowning at the Italian diving. Man, they make it a life style.

Nevertheless, neither team seemed much better ... until the last two minutes

You gotta give it to them - after so many good chances both sides missed, it was amazing to see these two incredible goals in the last minutes. And they were beauties, respect due, they were absolutely beautiful goals.

Forza Azzuri! If they play France in the finals I'll be for France though..

didn't pay much attention to the world-cup so far , but happened to watch the last 15 minutes of the game just now ...

we had a sports-announcer on our local station whose slogan was :
"...if you don't play a sport , be one ! "

i was glad to see that it all ended in sportsman like fashion - handshakes and exchange of shirts - , even though the germans shed some tears ...
hbg

exhausted bed time night all

great game great tournament well done Germany

(and Italy.. you did well too!)

That's very noble of you, Walter. Germany have been excellent throughout this World Cup. Their supporters have been exemplary as well.

It was a terrific game of football and I'm glad it didn't go to penalties. Italy just about deserved to win. I think they had eight shots on target to Germany's two. That Italian defence is virtually impenetrable and, when breached, Buffon was there.

For Germany, there's the (unnecessary) third place play-off and then the small matter of the European qualifiers. First up is the Republic of Ireland in September!

my italian barber -actually he's sicilian - is going to tell me what a great game the germans played when i go for my haircut next week !
hbg

I felt the Italians deserved it, no doubt about that for me but each to their own (I was just hoping a team would snatch it as I've had enough of penalties), it was such a great game from a neutrals perspective, who cares! :wink: The Germans though, well after their opening game, their progression under Klinsmann, their organisation of this tournament and their ultimately wonderful, colourful and passionate support, I say well played on so many levels.

Another thing that strikes me about that game though, the Italians could have been forgiven for having a slight off day given the current scandal in Italian football which grows ever bigger with each new days set of headlines. There is talk of Juventus being relegated 2, yes 2 divisions to Serie C. I can't see that happening myself, I can't see them being relegated at all for reasons connected with money and stature but still, incredible all the same. AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio are all in the mix as well, being teams facing relegation or serious point deductions etc.

There was quite a few Italians in that game who play for Milan and Juventus in particular and especially with Juventus you can almost envisage some kind of 'vultures picking at a dead carcass' (forced player sales etc) scenario in the future depending on how this very serious situation unfolds. Yet, with all that said, look how they played tonight. No doubt Gianluca Pessoto's accident has added a unity to them.

Those of you who didnt watch this by Telnet really missed something...









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Nah, just kiddin', I was just inside for 5 minutes, thought Id take some screenshots. Saw the rest of the game outside. And what an event.

I love this tent out here, man, the one on my square. Saw the first half on Vorosmarty Square, where again there were a lot of Germans; but on my square the tent was overwhelmingly for Italy. And what a colourful lot - my tent, not the Italians ...

It was literally piling out with people, a cone of onlookers gathering even outside where the flap opened to see the last 15, 20 minutes... inside, the silent lad with Italy shirt, wrapped in an Italian flag; the group that I thought musta been Italians cause they were the most vocal, but on closer inspection turned out to be Hungarian teens, split down the middle in loyalties - all the girls were screeching loudly for Italy, the boys were sitting sturdily supporting Germany, wearing a German or a Bundeswehr t-shirt. The man who had fallen asleep head on hands on the table, the drunk who danced in glee along with the cheering Italy supporters at the first goal. The petite styled girl with large yellow sunglasses pricked into delicate red gauze cap, little dog to go with her image on her lap, back turned to the game. The studious young Jewish man with his yarmulka. The stout middle-aged man in Garden City FC football shirt with his restless kid. The cute teen girl who seems to come for every game, usually in her Italy shirt. The businessman at the bar, the three unshaven, dentally challenged old men next to each other on a bench, doing a passable impression of the Muppet Show's grumbling old men. The boisterous twenty-something exchange student-type girls who banged their plastic bottles on the table for every Italian shot on goal. The girl draped lazily over her broad-chested boyfriend's back.

Love this place. Love this game, that brings all of them together in suspense, celebration. I havent had this much fun with a World Cup since 1982.

Klinsmann has been a joy to watch, I'll miss seeing him on the sidelines..

Just to be completely parochial: If Italy win the final Australia will say 'It would have been us if Grosso wasn't a member of the flying squad'

Yeah, and if Portugal wins, we can say: "It could have been us stupid Omar Bravo hadn't missed the penalty kick".

YAY! Mexico v Australia - how it should have ended up!