Viva Italia!!!
Italy played their best game of all time. Proof : they are the 2006 World Cup Champions.
In New York, my friends and I came to a bar int he lower East Side at 1130 AM to realize that it was already filled to the brim with World Cup followers dressed in their ITALIA shirts or Azzuri jerseys. Some even had the Italian flag draped over their shoulders. And the game wasn't scheduled to start until 2 PM! We ended up going back to midtown to the same bar where we had watched Italy win over Germany last 4th July.
The first half of the game quickly brought a score each for the two teams. One for France for a penalty shot by team captain Zinedine Zidane and one by Italy from a headbutt by Marco Matterazi from a corner kick. The rest of the game had been a an extensive scoreless nail biter that eventually went into overtime with also no winning result. For the deciding penalty kick, Italy was perfect while France's David Trezequet missed his goal.
The burst of cheer and exaltations from most everyone at the bar signalled Italy's triumph for the World Cup. The players were a rush of blue in Berlin's stadium as they cheered, hugged, and congratulated each other.
And what a way to end his career. Zinedine Zidane, who had played a very impressive game so far displayed the worst sportsman attitude when he headbutted Marco Materrazzi in the last 10 minutes of the regular game. The powerful charge had sent Materrazzi to the ground grimacing in the pain and although the referee had missed it the first time, the assistant referee had seen it and with a red card citation, sent the team captain out of the field and into disgrace.
It is understandable that the passion and the pressure of the game can become overwhelming when you are playing to represent your country. I feel bad therefore when professional players, who are looked up to by children as their role models lose their cool and become really bad examples.
Such a waste, Zidane.... a beautiful career but a lousy exit!
In New York, my friends and I came to a bar int he lower East Side at 1130 AM to realize that it was already filled to the brim with World Cup followers dressed in their ITALIA shirts or Azzuri jerseys. Some even had the Italian flag draped over their shoulders. And the game wasn't scheduled to start until 2 PM! We ended up going back to midtown to the same bar where we had watched Italy win over Germany last 4th July.
The first half of the game quickly brought a score each for the two teams. One for France for a penalty shot by team captain Zinedine Zidane and one by Italy from a headbutt by Marco Matterazi from a corner kick. The rest of the game had been a an extensive scoreless nail biter that eventually went into overtime with also no winning result. For the deciding penalty kick, Italy was perfect while France's David Trezequet missed his goal.
The burst of cheer and exaltations from most everyone at the bar signalled Italy's triumph for the World Cup. The players were a rush of blue in Berlin's stadium as they cheered, hugged, and congratulated each other.
And what a way to end his career. Zinedine Zidane, who had played a very impressive game so far displayed the worst sportsman attitude when he headbutted Marco Materrazzi in the last 10 minutes of the regular game. The powerful charge had sent Materrazzi to the ground grimacing in the pain and although the referee had missed it the first time, the assistant referee had seen it and with a red card citation, sent the team captain out of the field and into disgrace.
It is understandable that the passion and the pressure of the game can become overwhelming when you are playing to represent your country. I feel bad therefore when professional players, who are looked up to by children as their role models lose their cool and become really bad examples.
Such a waste, Zidane.... a beautiful career but a lousy exit!