Germany 1 Italy 2: Magic Mario makes his mark as Azzurri extend tournament hoodoo
But what a thoroughly pleasant surprise it was to see the often troubled Balotelli finally realising his considerable potential on the international stage. It was a moment to savour and enjoy, a moment for the sporting romantics and one that reignited this competition after back-to-back goalless matches that had to be settled by penalty shootouts.
Centre of attention: Mario Balotelli rips his shirt off and poses following his crucial second
Fury: Thomas Muller shows his frustration as Germany crash out
Match facts
Germany: Neuer, Boateng (Muller 71), Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Kroos, Ozil, Podolski (Reus 46), Gomez (Klose 46). Subs not used: Wiese, Gundogan, Schmelzer, Howedes, Schurrle, Bender, Mertesacker, Gotze, Zieler.
Booked: Hummels.
Scorer: Ozil (pen) 90+2.
Italy: Buffon, Balzaretti, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Pirlo, Marchisio, Montolivo (Thiago Motta 63), De Rossi, Balotelli (Di Natale 69), Cassano (Diamanti 58). Subs not used: Sirigu, Ogbonna, Abate, Giaccherini, Borini, Giovinco, Nocerino, De Sanctis.
Booked: Balotelli, Bonucci, Motta.
Scorer: Balotelli 20, 36.
Referee: Stephane Lannoy (France).
Attendance: 58,500.
Balotelli frustrates the Italians at times. It was only last summer that Fabio Capello spoke of him as some kind of national disaster.
Even out here there have been more fireworks. He has clashed with UEFA over racism, clashed with Cesare Prandelli, clashed with the Irish fans.
He was once described by Jose Mourinho as ‘unmanageable’ and there have been times this season when Roberto Mancini must have wanted to see the back of him at City. But last night we were given a glimpse of why Mancini and Prandelli continue to indulge him and why he might just be worth the hassle.
‘He was excellent,’ said Prandelli. ‘Just like the entire team. A team has to have an idea how to play, and Mario really subscribed to the ideas we had. He is unique, atypical as a striker, but he is always there when called upon.’
‘Why always me?’ asked Balotelli on that infamous T-shirt. The Germans might well ask ‘Why always us’ when it comes to playing Italy.
They have never beaten the Italians in a competitive match and this time they failed to produce that same ultra-attacking football that had proved so effective in their first four matches.
1-0: Balotelli beats Holger Badstuber to Antonio Cassano's tempting centre, beating Manuel Neuer
Hands up: Neuer was uncharacteristically slow, letting Balotelli's header past
They managed a consolation penalty, converted by Mesut Ozil after Federico Balzaretti handled in added time, but got no nearer to stopping Andrea Pirlo than England did. The 33-year-old was once again magnificent. In presenting him with the man-of-the-match award, Peter Schmeichel described his display as ‘the performance of the competition’.
Joachim Low asked Toni Kroos to put some pressure on Pirlo and his efforts in doing that clearly dulled the attacking threat that has been so central to Germany’s approach.
They were poor in defence, too. Dreadful in fact. But the fact Low substituted both Gomez and Lukas Podolski at half-time told its own story. ‘We lost our organisation,’ said Low. ‘We made mistakes and we lost our concentration.’
Not a prayer: Ballotelli latches on to Riccardo Montolivo's through ball to give Neuer no chance with the second
Not a prayer: Ballotelli latches on to Riccardo Montolivo's through ball to give Neuer no chance with the second
Booked: French referee Stephane Lannoy had no option
Germany did improve after the half-time changes, and for a spell in the second half they dominated. But Italy were a league above them last night. At the back they were excellent, and in players like Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi they delivered a passing masterclass — something that will certainly impress the Spaniards.
Pirlo was a ubiquitous presence, even clearing a Mats Hummels effort off the line in the fifth minute.
But if the opening 20th minute goal was the result of a fine piece of attacking football, the defending would have incensed Low. It was not just the way Hummels and Jerome Boateng allowed Antonio Cassano to slip away from them to deliver the cross, it was the abject failure of Holger Badstuber to stop Balotelli scoring with a thumping header.
Consolation: Mesut Ozil beat Gianluigi Buffon from 12 yards to set up a nervy finish
This was a real test for the Germans; the first time they had trailed in a competitive match for 1,313 minutes, or 22 hours, dating back to the third-place game at the 2010 World Cup.
Sami Khedira did force Gianluigi Buffon to make one of a number of fine saves, but when Riccardo Montolivo picked out Balotelli from deep inside his own half with a terrific diagonal ball in the 36th minute another goal followed. Balotelli took full advantage of the fact that Philipp Lahm had played him on side by beating Manuel Neuer for a second time with a stunning strike.
What happened? Mats Hummels and Bastian Schweinsteiger (below) reflect on another German defeat at the hands of Italy
What happened? Mats Hummels and Bastian Schweinsteiger (below) reflect on another German defeat at the hands of Italy
The decision to replace Podolski and Gomez with Marco Reus and Miroslav Klose was a sound one by Low. It improved the German team and but for Buffon, who just managed to push the ball against his crossbar, Reus would have scored with a superb free-kick.
Balotelli, however, was more clinical. In explaining why he did not celebrate his penalty against England the other night, he compared himself to a postman. He said he was simply doing his job.
Solid defence: Germany were thwarted by the Italians
He celebrated last night, though, stripping his shirt off and standing, muscles taut, in defiance. He was booked, but what the hell. Here, at Euro 2012, he delivered, and at the end he hugged his adopted mother Silvia in the crowd.
‘Us and Spain are the two best teams in the tournament,’ he said afterwards. ‘Can we win? I’ll tell you on Sunday.’
Wonderful stuff.
The difference: Balotelli remonstrates with Cesare Prandelli after being substituted for cramp
No comments:
Post a Comment