Australia 2-2 Croatia

(off-topic, but hey, so is most of this thread …)

Good for England, getting through over Ecuador.

Hm … Beckham. Who wudda thunk it, after all the sh*t he was copping?

Posted from  Australia

Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi has been banned for four games for elbowing USA striker Brian McBride in the face.

It means De Rossi, who has served one match of the suspension, can only play again at the WC if Italy reach the final or 3rd-place play-off.

Fifa’s disciplinary committee also fined the Roma player 6,400 Euros.

Italy full-back Gianluca Zambrotta says the Azzurri need to make a positive start to their second round game against Australia.

“We need to look again at our approach to the game - in the early phase of matches we always suffer,” he said.

“The US were first to the ball during the early stages of that game and the Czech Republic had their best spell against us in the first half.

“Against Australia we need to really cover a lot of ground.”

Italy found themselves on the back foot in the 1st quarter of their game against the US - one of the tournament’s less fancied teams.

And midfielder Simone Perrotta drew comparisons with Australia, who are coached by Guus Hiddink - the man who knocked Italy out of the WC 4 yrs ago when he was in charge of South Korea.

“Australia are a similar side to the US, that is true,” said Perrotta, “But I think they are stronger in terms of technique.

“Up front they have a very strong player in Mark Viduka and then there is Harry Kewell who spins off him and is also very dangerous.”

Posted from  United Kingdom

Italy’s Alessandro Nesta has been ruled out of Monday’s second round match with Australia because of a thigh injury.

Nesta’s place will be taken by Marco Materazzi, who scored in the 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic.

Australia goalkeeper Zejko Kalac, who let in a soft goal against Croatia, has been replaced by Mark Schwarzer.

Harry Kewell (groin) is a doubt and manager Guus Hiddink has to choose between Mark Milligan and Jason Culina to replace the suspended Brett Emerton.

Probable teams

Italy: Gianluigi Buffon; Gianluca Zambrotta, Marco Materazzi, Fabio Cannavaro, Fabio Grosso; Simone Perrotta, Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, Mauro Camoranesi; Francesco Totti; Alberto Gilardino.

Australia: Mark Schwarzer; Marco Bresciano, Lucas Neill, Craig Moore, Scott Chipperfield; Vince Grella, Jason Culina, Tim Cahill, Mile Sterjovski, Harry Kewell; Mark Viduka.

Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain).

Head-to-heads

Italy have never played an international match against Australia.

Team facts - Italy

Italy are on their longest undefeated streak since 1939, and are attempting to take their run to 22 international matches since the loss to Slovenia in a World Cup qualifier on 9 October 2004. They’re competing in their 16th World Cup finals, having emerged as champions in 1934, 1938 and 1982. They’ve also won one European Championship (1968). Italy and England are the only European nations with more World Cup titles than European Championships.

Italy had only been eliminated from the knockout phase of the World Cup by Brazil, France and Argentina before South Korea put them out in 2002. The last team to knock them out in the regulation 90 minutes was France (2-0) in 1986. Since then, Italy have lost three penalty shootouts and have been victims to a golden goal in 2002.

Team facts - Australia

Australia are in unchartered waters, having finished bottom of their group in their only previous experience of the World Cup finals in 1974.

No team had ever scored three goals in the final seven minutes of a World Cup match before Australia did it against Japan. Coach Guus Hiddink suffered only his fourth World Cup defeat in 17 matches when Australia lost to Brazil. Hiddink’s South Korea also played their second round match at the 2002 World Cup against Italy. They won with a golden goal.

Player facts - Italy

Daniele De Rossi is suspended for this match as well as possible quarter-final and semi-final encounters. Francesco Totti is one yellow card shy of the record for most World Cup cautions which is five. That record is shared by Matthaus (Germany), Pope (United States), Cafu (Brazil) and Simic (Croatia). De Rossi’s red card was the sixth for an Italian player at the World Cup. The record is nine (Brazil/Argentina).

Filippo Inzaghi and Marco Materazzi became the second and third oldest scorers ever for Italy, when netting in this tournament. Materazzi’s goal against the Czech Republic was his first ever for his country.

Player facts - Australia

Brett Emerton is suspended for this match. Zeljko Kalac (AC Milan), Marco Bresciano and Vince Grella (both Parma) play their club football in Italy.

Scott Chipperfield will make his 50th appearance for Australia, if he figures against Italy.

Posted from  United Kingdom

@ Lisa - Guess I’ll have to endure the gloating English tomorrow!

1st international goal for Beckham in 3yrs. Great placing, always curling away from the keeper and finding the bottom corner. The press will be singing his praises tomorrow, he’ll be their “Golden Boy” again. Other than that it was a 3p (piss poor performance) by England. Let’s hope it’s the last we see of Frank De Bleeckere (ref) for the rest of the WC.

Posted from  United Kingdom

Another fact
Italy have never won a penalty shootout in 3 attempts at WC

hopefully won’t go that far

Posted from  Australia

@ phooey - well, take consolation in the fact that at least half of The Gloating English ™ (hehe) contingent in Germany will eventually be locked up in German prison, or so it would seem …

And yep, Beckham is going to be all over the media - oh, the fickleness! All internet polls asking “Should Becks be dropped?” are going to be changed to “Should Becks be knighted?”. You can count on it.

@ Sloth - well, you see, that’s where our nerves of steel will come in …

Posted from  Australia

If Australia can give Brazil a run for their money why can’t they beat Italy?
Italy is no better than Brazil, so we have a great chance to beat them. The USA played well against Italy, and did it with a physical game. If we pressure them with our physical game we can beat them. THOSE ARE THE FACTS JACK!
Marco, you will be eating your words AGAIN tommorrow. You have a shit-house track record. You said Australia would get flogged by both Brazil and Croatia, did it happen? NO!
That is why you, Marco, have no credibility whatsoever in this forum!

Posted from  Australia

I’m sorry guys, but Australia fluked its way through. The goal agains Croatia should clearly have been disallowed. I can ontly think the referees feel sympathy for Australia, as it represents an entire continent. A few upsets can be interesting, and this has been the case with Australia getting through (also Ecuador, and Ghana).

Its time now however for the cream to rise to the surface. A proud footballing nation such as Italy should rise above Australia and I sincerely hope that the Australia gets put our of the world cup.

Posted from  New Zealand

Excuse the typos, but both Ghana and Australia should be dismissed by the end of this round. They can keep their heads high, like Ecuador, in reaching so far in the competition, a feat surely beyond most football fans’ wildest imaginations.

Congratulations to all the Australians on this forum - your country has superseded all expectations to get to the 2nd round! Any further? Barring a miracle of mammoth proportions, very unlikely!

Posted from  New Zealand

Yes the goal was offside but considering that Simunic card debacle and other questionable decisions Aus would have got a rematch.

And how on earth do you fluke your way through playing three matches?

Posted from  Australia

julia its called luck … you need it though .. and i think ghana can beat brazil as they are a very good team

Posted from  Australia

Marco takes it up the arse!
duda, duda!
Marco takes it up the arse!
OH a duda day!
OH a duda day!
Marco takes it up the arse!
OH a duda day!

Thank you, Marco, that’s just what you deserve!!!!!(from all and sundry).

Posted from  Australia

Well said, well said, now can we all sing along?

Posted from  Australia

Croatia were ripped off, Harry’s goal was clearly offside. The better team has lost out in this case, talk about bad luck.

Posted from  Australia

How MANY farking times can this conversation be HAD?

Before anyone else posts on how Croatia should have won:

Get your tape of the match out

1. Watch the obvious handball by Croatia that was not penalised. Unawarded PK #1

2. Watch the rugby tackle that sent Viduka to the ground. Unawarded PK #2.

3. Watch Simunic play on after receiving 2 yellow cards. Grounds for Australia to have requested a replay had they lost.

4. Go back and watch all the other, smaller instances of Croatia getting advantages because of dud refereeing.

5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 until you get it through your thick skull that even though the goal may have been a hair offside, there were so many advantages given to the Croatian team that on the balance they know that it is not in their interests to contest. A draw was fair. It just seems that unfortunately the Croatian fans are not as perceptive as their team is.

If Croatia were a better team, they would have gotten more points in their earlier games. Even the Croatian coach said that they didn’t lose their WC campaign by drawing with Australia - they lost it by failing to score against Japan or Brazil.

The better team doesn’t always win in football - Croatia has always won against Italy! - it’s not about luck, it’s the nature of the game. Get over it.

I am titling this post “The Explanatory Post” so that whenever another person who is slow on the uptake complains about that damn goal I can just say “refer to The Explanatory Post above”.

Posted from  Australia

OH A DUDA DAY!

OH A DUDA DAY!

Posted from  Australia

Lisa, have a good look at many of the negative comments above yours. Each one is a brick. Cement them together and you have a brick wall. That’s who you are talking to. I agree with everything you say, but don’t waste your time. Let’s move on Lisa. I saw the brick wall being built and quit the Croatian topic on June 24th at 1:03 pm

Posted from  Australia

im sorry phooey

i would have taken more interest in what you have written, if it was written 2 days ago. you lost me when you bagged my nation And its peolple.
And really never appologised!

shame!

anyway too nervous to continue.

big game tonight. we need all the luck we can get!

Posted from  Australia

I do sincerely apologise pharkdat and the rest of you, and I really am sincere about that, let’s not forget that I myself have blood relatives down in Oz and the missus is Australian by birth.

That said, I’ve got my head down today, trying to get done what needs to be done, so I can get home and get settled before the game starts.

Did any of you see the Portugal vs Holland game. 16 yellows/4 reds, think that must be some kind of new WC record. That’s the kind of sh*t ugly football you’ve yet to come up against, handbags at dawn! I haven’t checked up yet on Figo, he did a similar thing 4 years ago. All I’ll say is, my English colleauges were all more than well pleased at the sending offs and number of Portugese players on yellow cards.

Posted from  United Kingdom

@ Lisa … I’ve had the time to read everything since my last post last night. I really do like your style I’ve had some strange looks from the corner as I’ve sat here trying not to spray the screen with my brew. Cheers!

Posted from  United Kingdom

Well there you have it. Italy is through to the next round and pretty lucky to get there. Full credit to them they defended really well with only 10 men.

Once again the game is won or lost on a ref’s decision. 2 Bad calls. The first in the Red card. That was a pretty harsh call. Should never have been a red. And the final penalty. full credit to the italian player to milking it.

But them’s the breaks and both of those decisions were really match changing decisions. To me that was one of the better ref’ed games of the WC (except for the decisions I mentioned above). Australia really missed Emerton and Kewell. But the team has done themselves proud.

Posted from  Australia

what is the emergency ref doing?

what are the headsets for?

forfarksake!!!!!!!!!!!!

surely with todays technology, incidents so blatant could be ruled within seconds.
instant red cards and penalties should be treated with respect! they are crucial part of this beautiful game!

must say though, italy did a fantastic job with only ten men.
yep.aussies needed kewell & emerton.

italy’s three subs would get a start every game for australia!!

Posted from  Australia

Phooey, shut up! I just read your comments, and you know full well that Australia should have been given at least three penalties in that match. As for England, they deserved to go out with the abysmal performances that they put on in the World Cup.

Posted from  United Kingdom

Hi everyone

Just wondering - anyone got a tape of the Croatia Aust game. My tape ranout in the 75th minute. Will happily swap for a blank new copy of tape or DVD.

Cheers

Posted from  Australia

harry ur a star

love u soo much you are the best player in the world n your team should of been in the finals with italy and i guess you would of won okay i have to go soo I LOVE YOU HARRY from isabella ( age 12 )

Posted from  Australia