ITALY v AUSTRALIA - MATCH REPORT
Report by Pez

Italy scrapped past the challenge of a resilient Australia, who will have great regret at losing this game, considering Italy played for 40 minutes with only 10 men.

Both sides were looking to attack as the game began, Australia's Tim Cahill had 2 headers at goal, but neither had enough power to trouble Gianluca Buffon. Italy meanwhile also went close through a header, Luca Toni nodded over when he could and should have scored, and a Scott Chipperfield block denied Alberto Gilardino.

Toni again went close; the outstretched boot of recalled Mark Schwarzer saved his low strike, and it was again Toni for Italy who was a threat, but again his header was far from clinical, looping harmlessly over the bar, while Gilardino just failed to get on the end of another of the Serie-A top scorer's headers. Australia were always looking dangerous, Viduka and Cahill's timed runs were causing problems, and their physical approach limited Italy's chances.

Five minutes in to the second half, Italy were in real trouble. Erratic defender Marco Materazzi was shown a straight red for a bad lunge on Marco Bresciano. The red may have been slightly harsh, but with referee's told to clamp down on dangerous challenges, Materazzi's high, 2 footed leg sweeping challenge certainly fell in to that category.

The wasteful Toni was replaced by defender Andrea Barzagli, leaving Vincenzo Iaquinta to leas the line alone. Chipperfield had a really good chance to open the scoring. A free kick was not properly cleared, and the ball fell to the midfielder at a tight angle to the goal, his high effort was palmed round the post to safety.

Free-kick specialist Andrea Pirlo had another curler palmed over the bar, but it was Australia looking most dangerous, although they struggled to create any real chances for the likes of Viduka and Aloisi, Cahill could have scored with his head from a corner, but was under pressure from two Italy defenders causing his header to go over, and Bresciano bent over from distance. Italy had a great chance to get an equaliser with four minutes remaining, some pinball in the area resulted in the ball falling to Iaquinta, and though he was stretching to get to the ball, he should have done better when poking straight in to Schwarzer's arms.

With Italy seemingly waiting for the final whistle, they amazingly won a penalty, three minutes in to stoppage time. Grosso went down under a challenge from Lucas Neill, and although it didn't take much to bring him to the ground, there was defiantly contact. The pressure of the penalty fell to Italy's golden boy; substitute Francesco Totti. His penalty was hit with such force and direction, that the considerable frame of Schwarzer could not stop the ball as it flew in to the net, to send Italy's fans in to raptures, and Australia's in to complete and utter despair.

The final whistle blew straight after the kick off, and Italy narrowly booked a place in the quarterfinals at the expense of an impressive, but toothless Australia, where an attractive tie versus the Ukraine or Switzerland awaits.

Man Of The Match: Tim Cahill - His perfectly timed runs in to the penalty area caused Italy all sorts of problems, and a sharper Cahill may have put a couple of his headers away. Had to combine his midfield role with the main responsibility of supporting Mark Viduka, and did so with great effect.

Referee: Luis Medina Cantelejo
Venue: Fritz-Walter Stadion
Attendance: 46,000

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