Italy 2 v/s Ghana 0...
Commentary:
I was expecting more about this game, especially from Ghana. Italy made their well know type of game, just like all the time.
Ghana made an excelent second half, but no goals... Kuffour made a good game, except on the Iaquinta's goal, when he had a huge responsability. Appiah didn't show on first half, butr on second half he improved the performance... same with Essien.
Italy had in Pirlo their best player, with a great goal, and playing a very good game... and no-one else had a good game.
I was waiting for a very good game, both countries showed a good game, but Ghana made so much fouls, even when Gattuso wasn't playing (if he would play, a lot of fouls for sure xD)...
Fair result, but Ghana dissapointed me, i was expecting more of them.
I think Italy got lucky. Ghana could easily have scored 3 or 4 goals, but like all African teams, they can not finish the great plays they start. Ghana had so many goal opportunities, but they couldnt score. Italy had some too, but the second goal was pure luck. I always root for African teams to reach the final of the World Cup, but they always have problems getting there even if they play better than most of the teams.
I was also very dissapointed from Ghana, and I have little to expect from the African teams on this World Cup.
I applaud the sacrifice and endurance of the African teams, but despite the fact of having very skilled players, the teams get lost when it comes to winning tactics that could be the only key to defeating the rival's defense.
The Italians faced a team that made them run back and forth the entire game, but the Italians were able to find the open spaces, place their strikers on the right spot, and take advantage of the weaknesses on the African defense.
The non-African team that looks like an African team that I hope can keep shocking in this world cup is Trinidad and Tobago. They played a very good game agaisnt Sweden and almost could have scored too but the pole got in the way. I hope this World Cup is one that schocks a lot of people in the way that the least thought of teams will make it further thank those European or South American teams
deleted user 12.06.2006 17:34
LOL.. Italy got luck?? Now I understand why in USA you can't play soccer... you can't understand much about it :D
We deserved the win 120%, we did what we had to do.. I just regret a bit about the many occasions we missed. We left some occasions to Ghana, that's true: but I think we have a great defense and you win the championship with that, more than with attack.
We can still improve but I'm glad we're not 100% of our shape yet: the tournament is still very long....
GO ITALY! :)
Cheeeeeeers!
ps: I agree with the_hero... the referee has been really scandalous, he didn't show his cards to both italians and ghana players too many times... he was the worst man on the ground!
<font color=#CC0000>hangman wrote: LOL.. Italy got luck?? Now I understand why in USA you can't play soccer... you can't understand much about it :D
We deserved the win 120%, we did what we had to do.. I just regret a bit about the many occasions we missed. We left some occasions to Ghana, that's true: but I think we have a great defense and you win the championship with that, more than with attack.
We can still improve but I'm glad we're not 100% of our shape yet: the tournament is still very long....
GO ITALY! :)
Cheeeeeeers!
ps: I agree with the_hero... the referee has been really scandalous, he didn't show his cards to both italians and ghana players too many times... he was the worst man on the ground!
Italy had luck indeed (i'm half italian, and i was cheering for them xD), but you can't denied that Sammy Kuffour made you a present with the second goal, and Luca Toni deserved a goal in first half.
Thank god Gattuso didn't play, because he could comitted lots of fouls, fights, etc... xD
I hope next game Italy can play better...
And what about the penalty that the referee didnt call for Ghana, the ghana player was pushed down as he went to get the ball after it had bounced. italy was lucky that it wsnt called cause it probably would have been 1-1 and it would have been a completely different game at that point
Ghana deserved a penalty. Then it would be 1-1. And that would be the turning point of the match. The referee was too soft sometimes. Ghana made some bad tackles too (and the second goal of Italy shouldn't have happened if they didn't made that stupid mistake). But the players of Italy are softies. They almost cry, very sad. And they do it everytime. What are they actually? Soccer-players or actors?
<font color=blue>Rick wrote: Ghana deserved a penalty. Then it would be 1-1. And that would be the turning point of the match. The referee was too soft sometimes. Ghana made some bad tackles too (and the second goal of Italy shouldn't have happened if they didn't made that stupid mistake). But the players of Italy are softies. They almost cry, very sad. And they do it everytime. What are they actually? Soccer-players or actors?
I remember only 2 times maybe that they were acting. Totti and the other guy who got hit on his achilles thingy really were in pain.
It happened 2 years ago in Portugal. It happened 4 years ago in South-Korea. That's Italian soccer, I guess...