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| May 24th 2005 |
Santiago, Estadio Nacional
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| ITALY - CZECHOSLOVAKIA |
4-1 (2-0)
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GOALS 23' 1-0 Silvio Piola
30' 2-0 Sandro Mazzola
50' 3-0 Silvio Piola
58' 3-1 Antonin Panenka (penalty)
70' 4-1 Giuseppe Meazza
REFEREE David Cesar Arnaldo Coelho (Brazil)
ATTENDANCE 69,000
YELLOW CARDS Benetti, Bergomi (ITA)
Gögh, Dobias, Ondrus, Popluhar (CZE)
RED CARDS Dobias, Ondrus (CZE)
ITALY (Coach: Vittorio Pozzo, system 4-3-3)
1 Dino Zoff (2nd captain)
2 Giuseppe Bergomi
5 Riccardo Ferri
6 Franco Baresi (captain, -73)
15 Paolo Maldini
14 Marco Tardelli
8 Romeo Benetti
12 Sandro Mazzola (-85)
7 Giuseppe Meazza
9 Silvio Piola (-85)
11 Luigi Riva
Substitutes:
19 Gaetano Scirea (+73)
10 Gianni Rivera (+85)
21 Christian Vieri (+85)
CZECHOSLOVAKIA (Coach: Rudolf Vytlacil, system 4-4-2)
12 Ivo Viktor
2 Karol Dobias
5 Jan Popluhar
4 Anton Ondrus (captain)
17 Koloman Gögh
15 Karel Poborsky (-49)
7 Antonin Panenka
10 Josef Masopust (2nd captain)
8 Pavel Nedved
20 Oldrich Nejedly
11 Antonin Puc (-74)
Substitutes:
18 Jaroslav Burgr (+49)
13 Josef Silny (+74)
MATCHREPORT
Italy-Czechoslovakia, a rematch of the infamous 1934 final, didn't turn out to be the well-balanced match many expected. Instead it would
become the hardest match of the tournament in which the Czechs made themselves chanceless by receiving two red cards. Italy kept their
emotions better under control, made the most of their opportunities and reached the quarter finals in the end without suffering too much. But it
hadn't come from nothing and Czechoslovakia never threatened Italy used a very fine performance to get the Czech on their knees.
Czechoslovakia were without influential central midfielder and captain Karel Pesek-Kada. He had sustained two yellow cards in earlier
matches. Anton Ondrus, the rising sweeper, stood in as captain but he wouldn't be an example for his team this evening in Santiago. Vytlacil
had chosen two strikers, Nejedly and Puc, both remarkable players in the 1934 tournament. But with Italy's 1990 backline they faced even
tougher opponence this time. In midfield Panenka switched to the centre and Karel Poborsky, the only Czech to be capped more than 100
times, came in on the right. Surprisingly Koloman Gögh was preferred at leftback to Ladislav Novak.
Vittorio Pozzo chose his favourite XI again. Ferri was back in defence, leaving Collovati on the bench. No Valentino Mazzola this time but son
Sandro in midfield. From the very first minute this match was a fight, especially in midfield. Referee Coelho had to step in immediately and
Gögh was the first player to be booked after a nasty foul on Mazzola. Romeo Benetti wouldn't allow the oposition to walk over him and made
amends soon after, Coelho showed another yellow card. He could have drawn many more.
In the beginning very little action in front of both goals. Dino Zoff and Ivo Viktor had easy first minutes, they had to stop a shot or two from
distance but that was it. Still, in the 23th minute the breakthrough. A quick combination through the middle between Mazzola and Meazza, Jan
Popluhar was left standing and Piola took advantage. A quick turn, a dry shot and Viktor was beaten for the first time: 1-0. Italy wanted to do
business right away and Benetti was close to the second goal when he fired from just outside the box, Viktor had troubles holding the ball
just before the line. One minute later a new attack, Piola won it in the air against Popluhar and Meazza netted. Coelho disallowed the goal for
off-side.
Czechoslovakia were outplayed and tried their luck by using even more physical power. Dobias and Popluhar were the next to go into
Coelho's book. After Tardelli had just missed a Riva cross, still the second goal. After a beautiful solo, Piola hit the bar above Viktor but
Mazzola had followed and scored from the rebound: 2-0, looking at Italy's impressive display and the lack of real resistance at Czech' side, it
seemed decided already. Czechoslovakia never seemed to be able to hurt Baresi and his men. Let alone, to score 3 goals against them.
After the break the curtain fell for Czechoslovakia immediately. Dobias fouled Piola brutally and was given his marching orders. With Burgr
instead of Poborsky, who had seen nothing of the ball, Czechoslovakia looked more toothless and when Italy scored the 3rd goal, the
match was over. Benetti passed it to Piola who gave Viktor no chance whatsoever: 3-0. It was getting worse and worse for Vytlacil and his
men. But when Bergomi fouled Nejedly just inside the box, Coelho showed another yellow card and awarded the penalty. Panenka never
missed from the spot, not this time either and he sent Zoff the wrong way. But the Czechs didn't come closer, Italy wouldn't let them. Tardelli
and Benetti were a wall in midfield, Ferri and Bergomi dominated Nejedly and Puc, so Zoff was workless. On the other end Piola almost
scored for the 3rd time and Viktor had to risk his health when he kept Riva from scoring.
In the 70th minute the 4th goal for Italy. And it was a great one. Mazzola, who played like a maestro this match, set up the attack, Piola passed
it to Baresi who had come to support his front men. Baresi penetrated into the box and intelligently passed it to Meazza who scored 1-on-1
with Viktor. Anton Ondrus, the captain of the Czechs, who had seen a yellow card for a deliberate handball already, couldn't stand this
humiliation and he wrecked it on Meazza's right leg. Coelho did the only right thing and sent him off. Though Italy could have done much
more with 11 against 9 now, they kept quiet for the remaining minutes. Franco Baresi left his place to Gaetano Scirea, Rivera replaced Mazzola
and Piola got a standing ovation for his two goals when he left the field. Vieri came in for him. It didn't effect the scoreline, it ended 4-1 for
Italy.
Once more the Squadra had shown their great strength. A magnificent machine, capable of controlling the match and scoring goals as well.
Defensively they had given up no single chance, in attack their strikers had been as sharp as ever. Czechoslovakia hadn't done themselves
good by playing so hard and focussing rather on keeping Italy at bay rather than try to play good football themselves. From the likes of stars
like Nejedly, Nedved, Masopust and Puc little had been seen. A pity and a missed opportunity for the team that had made the World Cup final
twice. Italy now faced a much tougher game, a quarter final against the winner of England-Germany.
And they have to be patient only until Friday to see who their next opponent will be. The Stadio Nazionale in Rome is the venue for the
topmatch in the round of last 16. Both teams are complete, no suspensions, no injuries. Alf Ramsey's only worry is a luxury one: will he
choose Bryan Robson in midfield or rather a player on the left and switch Bobby Charlton to the centre. For the rest the team seems clear. The
defence has been solid so far. However, they have not faced a confrontation with players like Müller and Rummenigge yet. Interesting to see
how this will develop. Franz Beckenbauer is likely to return to the sweeper role for the Germans and Helmut Schön wasn't so happy about the
experiment of leaving a 3rd striker out. Helmut Rahn might return on the left. Can Germany cope with slick Gary Lineker and giant Tom
Lawton? A big task for Förster and Vogts. John Langenus from Belgium will be the referee, countdown!
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