Italy came into this game knowing that they simply had to win or else they would be facing the real prospect of elimination from the group stages for a second successive European Championships. Roberto Donadoni made wholesale changes to the team who were thumped 3-0 by Holland. Out went Marco Materazzi, Andrea Barzagli, Gennaro Gattuso, Massimo Ambrosini, and Antonio Di Natale, and in came Fabio Grosso, Giorgio Chiellini, Daniele De Rossi, Simone Perrotta, and new captain Alessandro Del Piero. There was also a switch of formation as the disastrous 4-3-3 was scrapped in favour of a 4-2-3-1.
Romania had made it perfectly clear before the game that they would be happy with another draw, as it would mean a win in their last game against Holland would ensure qualification. The Tricolorii made two changes from the side who drew 0-0 against France with Banel Nicolita and Razvan Cocis making way for Paul Codrea and Florentin Petre.
Romania had an attempt within the first 30 seconds as Adrian Mutu headed wide from a right wing cross. Del Piero then let fly from the edge of the area but his effort was deflected wide. On eight minutes Del Piero had a delightful chance to put Italy ahead, as Perrotta chipped the ball into the six yard box, but the Golden Boy headed wide at the near post.
Italy had started the game well, and Toni was inches away from getting his head onto Mauro Camoranesi’s left wing cross. The Azzurri were throwing plenty of men forward, and they were almost caught out on 15 minutes as Mutu was released through on goal on the left, but Buffon beat away his effort.
Down the other end Toni peeled off his man at the back post, but disappointingly headed Grosso’s cross over when he should have at least hit the target. It was an entertaining game, and Gabriel Tamas unleashed a missile of a free-kick from 35 yards, but Buffon did well to get down and push the ball away.
Moments later Romania were the width of an upright away from taking the lead, as Christian Chivu’s free kick took a deflection off Panucci and crashed off the post with Buffon completely beaten.
Romania’s bad luck continued as Mirel Radoi was stretchered off after clashing heads with his only team-mate Razvan Rat, and he was replaced by Nicolae Dica.
Grosso was bombarding down the left flank for Italy, and he whipped in another fine cross that Del Piero nodded well off target. Toni was much closer during the Azzurri’s next attack, heading a yard wide from Camoranesi’s centre.
The Romanian’s were displaying some excellent long-range shooting, and Rat fired in another missile from 30 yards which flew just wide.
Just past the half-hour Del Piero won a free kick right on the edge of the penalty area, and he got up himself to take it, but slashed the ball horribly over.
On 39 minutes Perrotta seemed destined to score from a Luca Toni knockdown, but Codrea made a fantastic last-gasp tackle. Italy then had a succession of incredible near misses. First Toni saw his header fantastically saved by Bogdan Lobont, who plucked the ball out of the top corner. The keeper then again did brilliantly to beat Chiellini to the ball from another Toni assist.
In first half injury time Italy finally had the ball in the back of the net as Toni headed home, but it was ruled out for offside, and once again it was a simply shocking decision from the linesman and referee, as Toni was two yards onside.
Into the second half, and Toni continued to win everything in the air, nodding down to Del Piero, who was sleeping and had the ball stolen off him whilst well positioned.
Mutu had been very quiet but he burst into life on 53 minutes, hitting a swerving effort that Buffon grasped well.
Moments later Romania took the lead following a simply disastrous mistake in the Italian defence. Zambrotta attempted to head back to Buffon but he got it all wrong, and Mutu nipped in to flick the ball past Buffon.
A minute later Italy were back on level terms. Chiellini headed a corner back across goal, and Christian Panucci was at the back post to turn the ball in from close range.
Antonio Cassano then replaced Perrotta as Italy went for the win but Romania had a great chance to go back ahead, as Mutu squared the ball to Petre, but Grosso made a heroic block.
Cassano skipped past two challenge, passed to Del Piero who slid through to Toni, but the striker was too slow in reacting to the pass, and the chance went begging. De Rossi then smashed in a shot that was on target but cannoned into Del Piero.
Cassano was inspired again, sliding Toni through on goal, but again the linesman got it wrong and flagged the forward offside, when he was level.
Romania almost got a stroke of fortune on 69 minutes as a deflection fell into the patch of Niculae, but Grosso made a crucial challenge.
On 71 minutes Italy players appealed that Lobont had caught a cross behind his own line, but the referee waved away the protests. Replays showed it wasn’t a goal.
Italy were then extremely close to going in-front as Lobont made another miraculous save, flying to his right palm away De Rossi’s header after good work from Toni.
Del Piero was tiring, and on came Fabio Quagliarella with 15 minutes to go. Cassano backheeled for Zambrotta, and the ball was then nearly turned into his own net by Rat.
On 80 minutes Italy were up in arms after the referee awarded a hugely controversial penalty for a supposed tug by Panucci. However Buffon saved the day with a world class stop from Mutu’s penalty. It was a save of simply indescribable proportions. From the following corner Goian headed over.
Down the other end Italy asked for a penalty as Toni went down in the box, but the referee awarded a free kick against the striker.
The time was running out for Italy, and Cassano wasted a chance on the left by shooting disappointingly over. Romania held out for a draw, and now know that a win in their last match against Holland will take them through. Italy meanwhile need to beat France, and hope and pray that the other result goes their way.
Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso, De Rossi, Pirlo, Perrotta (Cassano 57), Del Piero (Quagliarella 76), Camoranesi (Ambrosini 84), Toni
Buffon: Lobont, Contra, Tamas, Goian, Rat, Petre (Nicolita 59), Chivu, Radoi (Dica 20), Codrea, Mutu, Niculae.
Sauce: Goal.com
Romania had made it perfectly clear before the game that they would be happy with another draw, as it would mean a win in their last game against Holland would ensure qualification. The Tricolorii made two changes from the side who drew 0-0 against France with Banel Nicolita and Razvan Cocis making way for Paul Codrea and Florentin Petre.
Romania had an attempt within the first 30 seconds as Adrian Mutu headed wide from a right wing cross. Del Piero then let fly from the edge of the area but his effort was deflected wide. On eight minutes Del Piero had a delightful chance to put Italy ahead, as Perrotta chipped the ball into the six yard box, but the Golden Boy headed wide at the near post.
Italy had started the game well, and Toni was inches away from getting his head onto Mauro Camoranesi’s left wing cross. The Azzurri were throwing plenty of men forward, and they were almost caught out on 15 minutes as Mutu was released through on goal on the left, but Buffon beat away his effort.
Down the other end Toni peeled off his man at the back post, but disappointingly headed Grosso’s cross over when he should have at least hit the target. It was an entertaining game, and Gabriel Tamas unleashed a missile of a free-kick from 35 yards, but Buffon did well to get down and push the ball away.
Moments later Romania were the width of an upright away from taking the lead, as Christian Chivu’s free kick took a deflection off Panucci and crashed off the post with Buffon completely beaten.
Romania’s bad luck continued as Mirel Radoi was stretchered off after clashing heads with his only team-mate Razvan Rat, and he was replaced by Nicolae Dica.
Grosso was bombarding down the left flank for Italy, and he whipped in another fine cross that Del Piero nodded well off target. Toni was much closer during the Azzurri’s next attack, heading a yard wide from Camoranesi’s centre.
The Romanian’s were displaying some excellent long-range shooting, and Rat fired in another missile from 30 yards which flew just wide.
Just past the half-hour Del Piero won a free kick right on the edge of the penalty area, and he got up himself to take it, but slashed the ball horribly over.
On 39 minutes Perrotta seemed destined to score from a Luca Toni knockdown, but Codrea made a fantastic last-gasp tackle. Italy then had a succession of incredible near misses. First Toni saw his header fantastically saved by Bogdan Lobont, who plucked the ball out of the top corner. The keeper then again did brilliantly to beat Chiellini to the ball from another Toni assist.
In first half injury time Italy finally had the ball in the back of the net as Toni headed home, but it was ruled out for offside, and once again it was a simply shocking decision from the linesman and referee, as Toni was two yards onside.
Into the second half, and Toni continued to win everything in the air, nodding down to Del Piero, who was sleeping and had the ball stolen off him whilst well positioned.
Mutu had been very quiet but he burst into life on 53 minutes, hitting a swerving effort that Buffon grasped well.
Moments later Romania took the lead following a simply disastrous mistake in the Italian defence. Zambrotta attempted to head back to Buffon but he got it all wrong, and Mutu nipped in to flick the ball past Buffon.
A minute later Italy were back on level terms. Chiellini headed a corner back across goal, and Christian Panucci was at the back post to turn the ball in from close range.
Antonio Cassano then replaced Perrotta as Italy went for the win but Romania had a great chance to go back ahead, as Mutu squared the ball to Petre, but Grosso made a heroic block.
Cassano skipped past two challenge, passed to Del Piero who slid through to Toni, but the striker was too slow in reacting to the pass, and the chance went begging. De Rossi then smashed in a shot that was on target but cannoned into Del Piero.
Cassano was inspired again, sliding Toni through on goal, but again the linesman got it wrong and flagged the forward offside, when he was level.
Romania almost got a stroke of fortune on 69 minutes as a deflection fell into the patch of Niculae, but Grosso made a crucial challenge.
On 71 minutes Italy players appealed that Lobont had caught a cross behind his own line, but the referee waved away the protests. Replays showed it wasn’t a goal.
Italy were then extremely close to going in-front as Lobont made another miraculous save, flying to his right palm away De Rossi’s header after good work from Toni.
Del Piero was tiring, and on came Fabio Quagliarella with 15 minutes to go. Cassano backheeled for Zambrotta, and the ball was then nearly turned into his own net by Rat.
On 80 minutes Italy were up in arms after the referee awarded a hugely controversial penalty for a supposed tug by Panucci. However Buffon saved the day with a world class stop from Mutu’s penalty. It was a save of simply indescribable proportions. From the following corner Goian headed over.
Down the other end Italy asked for a penalty as Toni went down in the box, but the referee awarded a free kick against the striker.
The time was running out for Italy, and Cassano wasted a chance on the left by shooting disappointingly over. Romania held out for a draw, and now know that a win in their last match against Holland will take them through. Italy meanwhile need to beat France, and hope and pray that the other result goes their way.
Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso, De Rossi, Pirlo, Perrotta (Cassano 57), Del Piero (Quagliarella 76), Camoranesi (Ambrosini 84), Toni
Buffon: Lobont, Contra, Tamas, Goian, Rat, Petre (Nicolita 59), Chivu, Radoi (Dica 20), Codrea, Mutu, Niculae.
Sauce: Goal.com
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