Soccer: Attacking gamble pays off for Italy

Italy 2 Germany 0

DORTMUND - Italy yesterday earned a place in the World Cup final by throwing away their tradition of cautious soccer.

For decades castigated for their conservatism, the Italians gambled by playing the bulk of extra time with four strikers, and hit the woodwork twice before beautifully taken late goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero saw off a determined German side.

Clearly, Italy coach Marcello Lippi did not relish the prospect of a penalty shoot-out which history indicated would end in tears for the Azzurri.

The Italians have gone out of three of the last four World Cups on penalties, including the 1994 final which they lost to Brazil, while Germany have won all four of theirs in the competition.

Refreshingly, neither side played for extra time or for penalties. Even if it had ended goalless, as seemed likely, the match would still have been a perfect example of how the game does not always need a goal to be compelling.

Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann played his part in a positive end to the game, throwing on wingers Bastian Schweinsteiger and David Odonkor in the second half of normal time as he sought to stretch a tiring Italian side.

Lippi's only change in normal time was to replace like with like - Luca Toni going off for fellow striker Alberto Gilardino - but once the game went into extra time, the silver-haired tactician made his move.

Off came Argentine-born midfielder Mauro Camoranesi to allow an extra forward in the shape of Vincenzo Iaquinta.

The Azzurri went straight for the Germans - Gilardino hit the post then attacking fullback Gianluca Zambrotta hit the cross bar.

Lippi then made his second positive switch by removing midfielder Simone Perrotta for forward Alessandro Del Piero, and despite leaving plenty of space in midfield, Italy never let the Germans get a grip on the game again.

A big part of the credit for the success of Lippi's gamble must go the two men who carried the responsibility in midfield - the masterful Andrea Pirlo and the tireless Gennaro Gattuso.

The pair held Italy together during extra time, having spent most of the game making up for a lethargic Francesco Totti.

Italy, now unbeaten in 24 games, go into the final with a defence that has conceded a single goal in the entire tournament - an own goal - and once again captain Fabio Cannavaro was rock-solid at the back.

This was the first time in the competition that Lippi's side had come up against a team of equal stature and they proved that despite their easy path to the last four they fully deserve their place in the final.

Germany's run to the semifinals had raised hopes that they could triumph at home, like West Germany in 1974, but the enthusiasm, supreme fitness and solidity of Klinsmann's young side was not enough.

The lively German striker Lukas Podolski worked hard throughout the 120 minutes against the tight marking of Cannavaro and could have been the match-winner in the second period of extra time when he unleashed a fine shot which was brilliantly saved by Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Tight games such as this one turn on such moments, but few would deny Italy deserve the chance to aim for their fourth World Cup win in Monday's final against either France or Portugal.

- REUTERS