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Preview, Germany - Italy (04/07/2006 20:55)
VS.


Germany and Dortmund stadium:
Today, thuesday 4. july 2006, Germany gonna face Italy in the World Cup. The match are beaing played at the World Cup stadium in Dortmund. The stadium holds a capacity of 65.000. The people in Dortmund live for their football and the Bundesliga team, Borussia Dortmund always play for full stadium. Tonight aint gonna be different as Germany takes on Italy. Since 1935 Germany have played 14 international matches at Dortmund stadium and only once have a team denied them the victory when the Wales from 1977 drew 1-1. They have also scored a lot of goals here. Biggest victory being 8-0 against Malta in the UEFA European Qualification 1976. On the 14 matches played at this stadium, Germany holds a terrific +52 goal difference, scoring 59 goals and only letting in 7.
If Germany only had one stadium they could beat Italy in, this one would be it.






Italy topping past encounters:

Italy on the other hand got their advantages as well. Germany and Italy have faced each other 4 times throughout the World Cup history and never have the Italien side lost. One of the matches also been talked about as "the match of the century" when Italy ended up with a 4-3 victory back in the semifinal 1970 and lost against Brazil in the final.

In the semi-final 1970, Italy opened the match with an early goal after only 7 minutes played after a strike from Roberto Boninsegna. It was the time when Italy used the legendary catennaccio defensive tactics. They managed to stop every single attack from the Germany side and the 1-0 victory looked sertain until Karl-Heinz Schnellinger latched onto a Jurgen Grabowski cross in the 92nd minute with practically the last kick on the ball to send the match into extra time.

In the extra time no less then 5 goals was put into the net. First Gerd Müller striked his 9th goal in that world cup and put the germans ahead in the 95th minute, but the German side stumbled and Italy struck back with Tarcisio Burgnich in the 98 minute and Luigi Rivera in the 104 minute yet again putting them in the lead after the first half of extra time.
Only 5 minutes into the second periode of extra time Gerd Müller struck again and scored his 10th goal in the 1970 World Cup, but Italy had no intention of bringing the match to a penalty shotout and Gianni Rivera sealed a victory with a goal in the 112 minute.

12 years later, in 1982 the faced each other again in he World Cup final in Spain. The likes of Dino Zoff, Giuseppe Bergomi, Claudio Gentile, Marco Tardelli and of course Paolo Rossi lined up against Hans-Peter Briegel, Paul Breitner, Bernd Forster, Pierre Littbarski and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, holding out the prospect of 90 thrilling minutes for fans watching around the world. Italy went on to win the match 3-1. Goals were scored by Paolo Rossi (57 min), Marco Tardelli (69 min), Alessandro Altobelli (81 min) and for Germany Paul Breitner got the honor of scoring the consoling goal in the 83rd minute.

The picture on the left shows Dino Zoff with the World Cup trophy. He became the oldest player to ever winning this spectacular trophy and help Italy to their 3rd World Cup victory. Only Brazil had done the same when they got their third World Cup trophy back in 1970. Germany equalled this in 1990 when the World Cup was held in Italy.

Last two times Germany and Italy have played in the World Cup was in the group stage back in 1962 and 1978. Both matches ended in a boring 0-0 result.





Todays match and this World Cup so far:


Germany: 
Stage Opponent Result   Italy:
Stage Opponent Result
  Grp. Costa Rica 4-2   Grp. Ghana 1-0
  Grp. Poland 1-0   Grp. USA 1-1
  Grp. Ecuador 3-0   Grp. Czech Republic 2-0
  1/8 final Sweden 2-0   1/8 final Australia 1-0
  1/4 final Argentina 1-1 a.e.t
4-2 PSO
  1/4 final Ukraine 3-0


Lineups:
Germany   Italy  
1. LEHMANN Jens 1. BUFFON Gianluigi
3. FRIEDRICH Arne 3. GROSSO Fabio
5. KEHL Sebastian 5. CANNAVARO Fabio
11. KLOSE Miroslav 8. GATTUSO Gennaro
13. BALLACK Michael 9. TONI Luca
16. LAHM Phillip 10. TOTTI Francesco
17. MERTESACKER Per 16. CAMORANESI Mauro
18. BOROWSKI Tim 19. ZAMBROTTA Gianluca
19. SCHNEIDER Bernd 20. PERROTTA Simone
20. PODOLSKI Lukas 21. PIRLO Andrea
21. METZELDER Christoph 23. MATERAZZI Marco



My own thoughts before the match:

Germany with the defensive lack of Thorstein Frings in the midfield will most likely go out offensive to get an early goal against Italy. This is also something that the Dortmund spectators gonna demand from their national team at home in a semi-final.

Italy will play as the always do. Lay a bit down the first 20 minutes forcing the match into a stalemate and use their counter-attacks wisely. Germany aint gonna get lots of chances and the likes of Cannavaro and Materazzi aint gonna give Klose a single inch to get first to the ball. That Gattuso is starting is a good clue of what Ballack gotta expect in this match. He will be all over Ballack at any time, giving Pirlo some more space to give his passes up to Totti and Toni.

As this match most probably will end in a tactical win for any side my tip goes for Italy with their tactical genious in Marcello Lippi. Jürgen Klinsmann will be a little bit short when it comes to the coaching because the lack of experience. Marcello Lippi have been coaching for about 20-30 years. Getting his breakthrough in the
1993/94 season when he led Napoli to a place in the UEFA Cup.

Andrea Pirlo and Totti will shine in this match much due to Gattuso's defencive work. Buffon will keep another cleen sheet. Luca Toni and Totti scoring one goal each. Totti from a penalty kick. Italy win 2-0.

There is one statistic that gotta be broken tonight and sorry to say. I think Germany will get their first loss at the Dortmund Stadium and Italy will keep their unbeaten record against Germany in the World Cup history.
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Zz00005356 wrote:
00:52 05/07 2006
pictureNice ;) 2-0 was right at least :P
Zz00000157 wrote:
20:27 05/07 2006
picture'2-0' eh.

Nice blog mate. I wasnt suprised at Germany losing I was however surprised at the excellent performance from the Italians even with the very dubious Materazzi in the centre of the defence.  Keep up the good work :)
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