Italy vs Romania
in Zurich.
Friday, 13th June at 18.00
After losing to Holland in their opening game, this
is must-win match for the 2006 World Champions, Italy.
Alessandro Del Piero had the first real chance for Italy, with less
than ten minutes played, thanks to a visionary through-ball from Mauro Camoranesi.
Adrian Mutu then forced a save from Gianluigi Buffon five minutes
later. Buffon was also called on to make a dive at full stretch, from Gabriel Tamas'
long-range, grass-cutting strike.
Soon after, Cristian Chivu's free-kick took a deflection onto the
Italian post.
Still anyone's game, after twenty two minutes.
Luca Toni then glanced a header wide, from Camoranesi's cross, in the
27th minute.
Five minutes before the break, Italy won three consecutive corners but
Romania somehow kept everything out. Not the prettiest of defending, but effective.
Luca Toni then had a goal ruled out for offside, just before the
whistle.
Half-time - 0:0
No changes at half-time, as both teams continued where they left off;
attacking and counter-attacking.
It was Romania who scored first - just ten minutes after the break -
but Italy were quick to reply.
No sooner had Adrian Mutu slipped behind Gianluca Zambrotta to cut out
the headed back-pass and slip the ball past Buffon, than Christian Panucci pounced onto a
deep corner that was headed back across the goal.
Drama in the 80th minute as Norwegian referee, Tom Henning Ovrebo,
awarded Romania a penalty for holding and challenging from behind. Adrian Mutu stepped up
to take the spot kick and hit it with some power; but Buffon was equal to it and kept
Italy in the tournament.
Final Score:
Italy 1 - Romania 1
Goalscorers:
0:1 - Adrian Mutu (55)
1:1 - Christian Panucci (56)
Teams
Italy:
1 Gianluigi Buffon; 2 Christian Panucci, 19 Gianluca Zambrotta, 3 Fabio Grosso, 4 Giorgio
Chiellini; 21 Andrea Pirlo, 20 Simone Perrotta, 16 Mauro Camoranesi, 10 Daniele De Rossi;
7 Alessandro Del Piero, 9 Luca Toni.
Romania:
1 Bogdan Lobont; 5 Cristian Chivu, 2 Cosmin Contra, 3 Razvan Rat, 4 Gabriel Tamas, 15
Dorin Goian; 6 Mirel Radoi, 8 Paul Codrea, 7 Florentin Petre; 10 Adrian Mutu, 21 Daniel
Niculae.
Referee:
Tom Henning Ovrebo (Norway)
Substitutions:
25 Mins - 20 Nicolae Dica on for 6 Mirel Radoi
57 Mins - 18 Antonio Cassano on for 20 Simone Perrotta
59 Mins - 16 Banel Nicolita on for 16 Banel Nicolita
77 Mins - 15 Fabio Quagliarella on for 7 Alessandro Del Piero
85 Mins - 13 Massimo Ambrosini on for 16 Mauro Camoranesi
88 Mins - 11 Razvan Cocis on for 10 Adrian Mutu
 5 Yellow Cards:
43 Mins - Adrian Mutu (Romania)
58 Mins - Cristian Chivu (Romania)
61 Mins - Andrea Pirlo (Italy)
73 Mins - Dorin Goian (Romania) - Misses next game.
92 Mins - Daniele De Rossi (Italy)
Netherlands vs France
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