ITALY vs. SPAIN
Euro
2012 by far has been dry goal-wise - apart from Russia, no team had scored more
than one goal before this game’s big kick-off - and with the Italians playing,
not many people were expecting a goal storm.
It
certainly must be cliché by now, but yes Spain played very much like Barcelona
FC in the first fifteen minutes, playing very high up Italy’s half. Somehow
Italy still had two corners in quick succession within that same time.
Andrea
Pirlo’s free-kick was saved magnificently by Iker Casillas, the Spanish number
one. Just as expected, Mario Balotelli picked up the first booking of the game
for reckless play. (The bookies predicted right). He had been warned previously
by the referee after displaying his displeasure at a decision that didn’t go
his way.
Mario
Balotelli was at it again a few minutes after. This time it was for something
different. He stood by the touch-line when a ball was lobbed over his head.
Just when the world thought it was a throw-in, he brought the ball back into
play with a back-heel. The ball looped back over his head in the process. The
move drew loud applause from both sets of fans.
Eventually,
Italy grew into the game and even started
attacking. By the end of the first half, Gianluigi Buffon had made four saves
to Casillas’s two. They were both brilliant – the two captains. Though the two
saves Casillas made were much more crucial; one being the block of a
point-blank Motta header. The other was a comfortable save of a Marchisio shot.
Quite unsurprisingly, the first half ended goalless.
The
second half started off where the first half ended. The Italians were robbing
the Spaniards off the ball in the midfield and distributing fairly well. Typical
was when Sergio Ramos was dilly-dallying just around the touch-line. Balotelli
crept behind him, nicked the ball off his toes and run towards Buffon on a
one-on-one. The relentless Ramos though, came back up to clear off the clueless
Balotelli. Presumably, the Italian thought he had more time than he actually
did.
The
seemingly tired Italy number 9 was hurled off and replaced by Udinese captain
Di Natalie. Five minutes after coming on, he scored the opener. It was a neat
through ball and the goal-machine clipped the ball round the hapless Casillas.
Spain woke up. Within minutes of conceding,
David Silva found Fabregas who scored with his left foot. The goal wasn’t
dissimilar to Di Natalie’s. That was to be Silva’s last contribution to the
game as he was replaced by Jesus Navas.
Both
teams made further substitutions and replacement Torres had some chances. Most
notably, when he was put through on goal with a slide-rule pass, he tried to go
round Buffon who had already read the situation. The goalie cleared with his
foot without going down.
In the
76th minute, Di Natalie had a chance but his shot was off-target.
For a game that had been pretty fair, it was such a shame when it started
raining yellow cards with only 15 minutes to go. In all, about eight booking
were taken.
Champions
League winner Torres had the last real chance of the game in the 84th
minute but he lobbed Buffon from about 20 yards out and he missed the target by
a yard or three.
The game
ended 1-1. With Croatia and Ireland completing the group, both teams would have
been quite pleased with the draw.
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