Yesterday's match between Italy and France surely must have marked the first time a team lost 3-0 in the opener but still qualified to the next round.
On the other hand, even though they're through, they've now got to face Spain without their midfield force of Pirlo and Gattuso, who are both suspended. Never fear though, they've got plenty of Roma reserves ready to come in replace them like any combination of Aquilani e Ambrosini Aquilani e Perrotta Aquilani e Camoranesi Ambrosini e Perrotta Ambrosini e Camoranesi Perrotta e Camoranesi, etc.
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De Rossi celebrates the free kick that shot into goal for a 2-0 lead off of
Henry's foot.
And beating France? No big thing. After all they played the least inspired football of perhaps anyone in the entire tournament. Yes, maybe Austria or Switzerland, it might be argued, were worse sides, but even that is arguable and in any event, both sides showed considerably more spirit than the old mutts of France. Good riddance to them. England would have been a better represenatative.
The Italians were given a second life after Romania's Mutu missed that penalty kick in that 1-1 draw last week and they made the most of it, bravo!
Meanwhile in the other Group match, Holland's second side put Romania out of their misery as well. It's difficult to imagine the Romanians weren't up for it with a quarterfinal berth at stake but losing 2-0 to the Dutch's reserves means either they didn't care or wow, the Dutch really ARE that good. Quite likely the Dutch attack will make mincemeat out of their next opponents however, it would be a tense exciting match against the Swedes and perhaps a higher scoring affair against the Russians.
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On Monday, the only relevant match in Group B was Austria against Germany which ended, not suprisingly perhaps with a 1-0 victory by Germany punctuated by the fastest missile goal of the tourney off the foot of Michael Ballack. Whilst the match remained 0-0 throughout the first half the Austrians had a prayer but the suddenness and fierocity of the Ballack goal simply sucked the life right out of the Austrians. The Germans are now destined to meet their fate against Portugal, rested and ready to roll.
Make sure to bank on the Russians tonight. Hiddinck v Dutch will be a great quarterfinal.
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