A star is born
05 July 2006, 10:01
Italian left back Fabio Grosso is not a star. Born in Rome in 1977, he wasn’t recruited by any of the big clubs as a teenager. He played on an amateur team until he was in his 20s. Then he spent a few years in the lower levels of Italian professional soccer. Gradually working his way up, he joined ambitious Sicilian club Palermo in 2004. Palermo was then in Serie B, the second division, but with Grosso and striker Luca Toni (a fellow late-bloomer), they were soon playing in the top flight and playing well. Grosso had made it.
Grosso is tall and slow, but he somehow manages to work his way up the left wing and join the attack. Then he tracks back and guards the flank. He anticipates the play well and seems to know exactly where to needs to be. He has never done it better than he has this month. His run into the box (and his acrobatic fall) forced the winning penalty against Australia. Against Germany, his goal broke the deadlock.
This was an excellent match, a classic semifinal. I watched in a bar in Carroll Gardens. At first, I thought, this is not a good soccer crowd. The TVs were tuned to baseball until the last possible moment. And the jukebox was playing! But at halftime, the packed house needed the break. Everyone felt the tension on the screen.
Each team played fast, fluid football. And each team defended magnificently. The momentum swung back and forth. First the Germans seemed likely to score. Then the Italians took over. Andrea Pirlo, the Italian central midfielder and one of the World Cup’s best players, controlled the tempo. When he receives the ball, he sometimes runs back toward his own goal, then loops around and makes the perfect pass. How many eyes does he have?
Things settled down in the second half. But we were never lulled to sleep. The Germans got forward again and looked to break free. Each time, Gennaro Gattuso came running in like a wild dog. Each time the incredible defensive trio of Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, and Gianluca Zambrotta reacted quickly to the ball.
All three of these defensive players ply their trade at Juventus. Their club is under investigation and may be demoted from the top league. Their coach has just quit. Their former teammate Gianluca Pessota is in a coma after a suicide attempt. After the quarterfinal, Cannavaro and Zambrotta unfurled a banner. It was an Italian flag that read “Pessotino Siamo Con Te.” Onfield, they were never ruffled. They knew where the Germans were trying to go before they got there. They were very cool.
By the 118th minute of the scoreless game, we were all sure that it would go to penalties. There had been some good chances in extra time. Lukas Podolski was alone on goal, and Buffon tipped his shot over. On the other side, Gilardino wriggled free on the right and cut a shot toward the near post. It hit the bar and bounced out.
Italy did not want penalties. They are 0-3 in World Cup penalty shootouts. They had, by the end of the match, put four forwards on the field. But everyone was tired. There were only two minutes left.
It was not Totti or Del Piero that put them through. It was the unheralded defender Grosso. Pirlo had the ball at the edge of the area. Shoot, Pirlo, shoot! He drew three defenders and was dribbling away from the goal. It looked like a blown opportunity. But Pirlo found an opening. He slotted the ball in to Grosso who was alone (Per Mertersacker, the German central back, had left him to close down Pirlo). Grosso turned and barely looked up. With his left foot, he curled the ball away from goalkeeping behemoth Jens Lehmann and into the corner. 118 minutes of tension. Seven years in amateurs and Serie C. One second of release.
Outside the bar in Carroll Gardens someone was roasting a pig. The Italians started passing around pig parts and waving the flag. Italy is in the finals.
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Certainly a classic. I think everyone would agree, Italian and German fans alike.
The Italians were so smooth and confident over the ball, able to thread short passes even in tight traffic. Receiving the ball their first touches were immaculate (with the exception of Perralta’s clumsy break on goal in the first half). These first touches were key to finding space in the midfield despite the Germans’ extremely tight marking.
The Germans worked well together on the counter and showed some skill mano a mano; Lahm looked good on the wing offensively. Defensively they were as good as they’ve looked all tournament (until the last 2 minutes). Their strategy of smothering the Italian midfield – getting all over Totti and crew whenever they touched it – was effective. Very physical but not dirty play.
Italy just had that extra touch of class.
Cannavaro is a joy to watch. He makes an art of defense: he has taken his craft and made it a thing of beauty. Italy shut down Klose and neutralized Ballack. On the few real opportunities that the Germans did have on goal, they panicked. Italy meanwhile, was a bit more creative offensively and demonstrated poise when they had their chances (Perralta excepted).
And what can can I add aboout the goals except, Che Belli!
Bravi azzurri! Avanti cosi’!
— Joe · 06 July 2006, 17:32 · #