| Only a couple of superbly-executed Italian goals could separate
these two very evenly-matched teams on a night of high drama in
Dortmund. German dreams of reaching the World Cup Final on home
soil died in Dortmund as two goals in the final moments of extra
time carried Italy into the Final as 2-0 semi-final winners on Tuesday,
4 July 2006. With a penalty shoot-out looming, Fabio Grosso broke
the deadlock in the 119th minute as he curled a left-footed shot
past the despairing dive of Jens Lehmann from the right side of
the penalty box. Substitute Alessandro Del Piero made sure of Italy's
place in the Final when he beat Lehmann from close range in added
time at the end of the extra period.
Italy now advance to their first FIFA World Cup Final since 1994
and their sixth overall. They will face the winners of Portugal-France
semi-final in Berlin's Olympiastadion on Sunday, 24 hours after
Germany have contested third place with the losers of that match
in Stuttgart.
Once again, Marcello Lippi's side defended magnificently and the
superb Buffon has still to concede a goal at Germany 2006 to an
opposition player. However, while it is the Azzurri who march on
to the Final, Germany - beaten in Dortmund for the first time ever
- can reflect on their FIFA World Cup campaign with pride, having
played throughout with spirit and skill in abundance.
Line-up
Germany: Lehmann, Friedrich, Metzelder, Mertesacker,
Lahm, Borowski (Schweinsteiger 72), Ballack, Kehl, Schneider (Odonkor
83), Klose (Neuville 111), Podolski.
Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Materazzi,
Grosso, Camoranesi (Iaquinta 90), Perrotta (Del Piero 104), Gattuso,
Pirlo, Totti, Toni (Gilardino 74).
Goals: Grosso 119, Del Piero 120.
Att: 65,000
Referee: Benito Archundia Tellez (Mexico)
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