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Buffon keeps Italy hopes alive
Gianluigi Buffon's late penalty save earned Italy a 1-1 draw with Romania at the Pro Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich that keeps their hopes of progressing to the Euro 2008 knockout phase alive. More
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Live Commentary
Time:90'- Italy
- Romania
90+3' Tamas blasts the ensuing free-kick well over the bar. And the final whistle goes! Buffon is the hero for Italy, but their progress to the quarter-finals remains in doubt. Stay with us for live coverage of the Netherlands v France from 19:45 BST.
90+2' De Rossi is cautioned for a foul from behind on Contra in midfield.
90' Quagliarella flings himself at Toni's header inside the Romanian box, but he's offside. There will be three minutes of stoppage time!
88' Romania make their final change, with Razvan Cocis replacing a clearly distraught Adrian Mutu.
87' Toni goes to ground under a challenge from Goian inside the Romanian penalty area, but the free-kick goes to Romania!- 85' Roberto Donadoni makes a third and final change, with Massimo Ambrosini coming on for Camoranesi. Cassano's cross from the Italy left is just too strong for Quagliarella.
- 83' We're all set for a grandstand finish here! This has been a superb game of football.
- 81' Mutu trots up... AND BUFFON STICKS OUT HIS RIGHT HAND TO MAKE A TREMENDOUS SAVE! And then he's forced to tip over a header from Goian from the resulting corner! Italy inches away from going out of the tournament! Incredible stop by Buffon.
80' PENALTY TO ROMANIA! Panucci is penalised for hauling down Niculae at the near post as they challenge for a cross from the Romania left and the referee points to the spot!- 78' Zambrotta's cross from the Italy right is diverted towards his own goal by Contra but Lobont is on hand to save!
- 77' Italy make a second change, with Del Piero coming off and Udinese striker Fabio Quagliarella coming on. Buffon inherits the captain's armband.
- 76' Mutu's inswinging corner from the Romania left is headed away.
- 75' Terrific save Lobont! Cassano's chipped pass is chested into De Rossi's path by Toni and De Rossi sends in a powerful diving header that Lobont dives to his right to push away!
- 73' Goian is booked for throwing the ball away after conceding a free-kick, and will miss Romania's final group game against the Netherlands as a result. Pirlo's free-kick is headed away by Chivu.
- 72' Tamas concedes a corner on the Romania right, but Pirlo's centre is headed away at the near post by Mutu.
- 71' Nicolita's well-struck volley from the right-hand corner of the area is headed clear by Chiellini.
- 70' Sight of goal for Romania! The ball falls for Niculae inside the Italy box but Grosso steps in to poke it off his toes!
- 69' Cassano's cross towards Zambrotta from the left is just too strong and runs out of play for a goal kick.
- 66' Cassano's pass towards Zambrotta on the Italy right is deflected out of play by a defender for an Italy throw.
- 65' Cassano threads a great reverse pass through to Toni, who's caught offside.
- 64' De Rossi's fierce shot from distance hits Del Piero, who is given offside.
- 63' Nicolita's cross from the Romania right is bravely headed clear by Panucci. And then Del Piero threads a perfectly weighted pass across the face of goal from the Italy left that Toni just can't get on the end of!
- 61' Panucci produces a well-judged tackle to halt the progress of Nicolae down the Romanian left. Pirlo is then booked for a cynical body-check on Nicolita.
- 60' What a game we have on our hands here!
- 59' Great chance for Romania! Petre has acres of space to shoot on the right-hand side but Grosso produces a brilliant block to deny him! Petre is then replaced by Banel Nicolita.
- 58' Chivu is booked for catching Del Piero from behind.
- 57' Italy make a change, with Antonio Cassano replacing Simone Perrotta.
56' GOAL! 1-1! Grosso wins a corner on the left, the ball is headed back across goal at the back post by Chiellini and Panucci touches it over the line! Romania's lead lasted barely a minute!- 55' GOAL! 1-0 Romania! Zambrotta sends a weak back header towards Buffon and Mutu nips in to divert the ball into the top-left corner! From nowhere, Romania take the lead, and as things stand Italy are out of the competition! Terrible mistake from Zambrotta.
- 54' Grosso is penalised for a trip on Petre.
- 53' Mutu tests Buffon with a swerving right-footed effort from the left-hand corner of the penalty area! It deviated in the air but Buffon watched it well.
- 52' Niculae is caught offside.
- 51' Pirlo's pass from wide on the right is knocked into Del Piero's path by Toni but Codrea gets in ahead of the Juve man to clear.
- 50' Chiellini's clipped pass towards Toni is headed clear on the edge of the Romanian box.
- 49' Dica's inswinging cross from the Romania left is well caught by Buffon.
- 48' Great support in the stadium for both sides. Those Italian fingernails will probably be starting to disappear already.
- 47' Grosso wins a corner on the Italy left. It's taken short, Pirlo curls the ball to the back post and Lobont has to push it away!
46' Romania kick things off in the second half. No changes for either side at the break.- 45+3' The half-time whistle goes after an engaging but ultimately goalless first half. Both sides could have scored on a number of occasions, but it's group favourites Italy who will feel the need for a goal more keenly.
45+2' Camoranesi wins a corner on the Italy right. He takes it short to Zambrotta, who sweeps the ball to the back post and Toni nods it home! He wheels away to celebrate, but the flag was up for offside, even though Toni appeared to be level.- 45+1' Contra's shot from the edge of the Italy box is blocked by De Rossi.
- 45' There will be a minimum of three minutes of stoppage time.
- 44' Del Piero is caught offside after making a run down the inside-right channel.
- 43' Mutu is booked for jumping in on Pirlo on the far side.
- 42' Lobont comfortably gathers a chipped ball forward from De Rossi.
- 40' Two brilliant saves from Lobont! First he superbly palms Toni's header from Del Piero's right-wing corner around his right-hand post, and from the subsequent corner he springs from his line to fist the ball away from Chiellini!
- 39' Sight of goal for Italy! Zambrotta's right-wing cross is nodded down by Toni for Perrotta, but Codrea produces a superb challenge to deny him!
- 37' Romania are starting to knock the ball around a bit now. They're clearly not afraid to play.
- 36' Dica is penalised for going in on Panucci with his studs showing.
- 34' Mutu puts a tame shot straight at Buffon from distance. Italy break down the left and Del Piero goes to ground under a challenge from Tamas, but a goal kick is given.
- 33' Del Piero takes the free-kick himself, but blasts it wide of the right-hand upright.
- 32' Toni just can't get his head to Zambrotta's cross from the right, before Del Piero wins a free-kick off Codrea just outside the Romanian penalty area.
- 31' Pirlo's subsequent free-kick is flicked into the air by Mutu and claimed by Lobont.
- 30' Petre is penalised for a 'high foot' on Del Piero, even thought his foot was literally about two feet off the ground.
- 29' Zambrotta's cross from the right is flicked away from Perrotta by a Romanian defender.
- 28' Romania inches away! Rat takes aim from about 30 yards out in the inside-left channel and his low drive flies just wide of the far post!
- 27' Toni puts Camoranesi's right-wing cross just wide of the left-hand post with his head! Italy are getting closer...
- 26' Another beautiful Grosso cross from the Italy left is headed wide of the far post by Del Piero! Grosso is proving a very useful outlet so far.
- 25' Camoranesi attacks Grosso's left-wing cross at the back post, but Tamas clears his goalbound header. Nicolae Dica comes on for the unfortunate Radoi.
- 24' Petre's corner from the right is headed behind by Camoranesi. A follow-up effort is then easily caught by Buffon.
- 23' Petre's dangerous right-wing cross is headed over the bar for a corner by Zambrotta.
22' Ouch! Rat and Mirel Radoi clash heads painfully inside the Italy half, and the medical cart has to come on. Radoi is then taken off on the back of the cart and doesn't look like he will be able to continue.- 20' ROMANIA HIT THE POST! Chivu's inswinging left-footed free-kick flicks off Christian Panucci and, with Buffon flat-footed, rebounds against the left-hand post before being cleared!
- 19' Daniel Niculae wins a free-kick after a push by Chiellini midway inside the Italy half.
- 18' Good save Buffon! Romania win a free-kick about 35 yards from goal and Tamas sends in a skidding right-footed effort that Buffon springs to his left to push away!
- 17' Grosso picks out Toni with another measured cross from the left, but the big striker puts his back-post header over the crossbar!
- 16' Camoranesi's cross from the right is headed clear by Tamas.
- 15' Del Piero looks for Perrotta with a cute back-heel on the edge of the box, but Tamas intervenes. And then a chance for Romania! Mutu gets free down the Romania left and fires in a left-footed drive that Buffon parries!
- 14' Grosso wins another corner on the left, Del Piero curls it in and De Rossi flicks it on at the near post, but Romania clear.
- 13' Pirlo's inswinger is headed clear, De Rossi is expertly tackled in the box by Mutu and then Toni is inches away from connecting with Camoranesi's sweet cross from the left!
- 12' Grosso wins a free-kick off Petre on the Italy left.
- 11' Tamas hobbles to the sideline to receive attention for an ankle knock.
- 10' Zambrotta fails to get to Camoranesi's pass to the Italy right, and the ball goes out for a Romania throw-in.
- 9' Chance for Italy! Del Piero deftly controls a clipped pass from Camoranesi, the ball breaks to Perrotta on the right-hand side of the area and his cross is headed wide of the near post by Goian! But the referee awards a goal kick! Del Piero was challenging him, but Goian definitely got the final touch.
- 8' Camoranesi wins a free-kick off Dorin Goian on the Italy right, about 10 yards outside the penalty area. Pirlo's cross is cut out at the near post by Cristian Chivu.
- 7' Mutu is inches away from getting on the end of a long pass from Tamas, before Lobont claims a left-wing cross from Grosso at the other end.
- 6' Toni gets his head on a high ball from De Rossi but can only nod the ball to Romania goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont.
- 5' Andrea Pirlo whips the ball in from the corner, and it's cleared at the back post by Razvan Rat.
- 4' A first sight of goal for Italy! Del Piero's left-footed effort from just outside the area is diverted behind for a corner on the right.
- 3' Mauro Camoranesi looks to squeeze a pass through to Luca Toni inside the Romania box, but Gabriel Tamas - so impressive in the draw with France - intercepts. Gianluca Zambrotta then attempts to thread a pass into the box from the right, but it's cut out.
- 2' Romania string some passes around, before right-back Cosmin Contra fails to keep the ball in play on the near side.
1' Italy kick off, and they will attack from right to left in the first half. They are in all blue, Romania in all yellow. Mutu challenges for an early cross from the Romanian right but sends his header well over the bar.- 16:58 The anthems are out of the way - good to see Cannavaro joining in from the sidelines (but not on the Romanian anthem, obviously) - and kick-off is moments away.
16:55 Referee Tom Henning Ovrebo of Norway leads the teams out onto the pitch. It's a mild evening here in Zurich, but rain is forecast for later.- 16:50 Romania are unlikely to commit too many men forward, and will rely on Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu - who averages almost a goal every other game at international level - to snap up any chances they do create.
- 16:45 So, big changes for the Azzurri. Materazzi and Gattuso are probably the biggest casualties, although Internazionale defender Materazzi might not even have started the Netherlands game if it hadn't been for the injury to regular captain Fabio Cannavaro. Del Piero takes the armband from goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, and will look to build on an impressive season for Juventus that saw him top the Serie A scoring charts.
- 16:40 ROMANIA TEAM NEWS: Romania have made two changes in personnel, with midfielders Florentin Petre and Paul Codrea - who plays his football for Italian side Siena - replacing Banel Nicolita and Razvan Cocis in the starting XI. Stuttgart striker Ciprian Marica had been a doubt with a head injury, but he has been named among the substitutes.
- 16:35 ITALY TEAM NEWS: Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has made five changes to the side that lost to the Dutch, with Giorgio Chiellini, Fabio Grosso, Daniele De Rossi, Simone Perrotta and captain Alessandro Del Piero coming in for Andrea Barzagli, Marco Materazzi, Gennaro Gattuso, Massimo Ambrosini and Antonio Di Natale.
- 16:25 Good afternoon and welcome to our LIVE coverage of this Group C clash between Italy and Romania from the Pro Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich. World champions Italy will be desperate to bounce back from their shock 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands on Monday night, while group underdogs Romania will have been hearted by the ease with which they nullified France in the 0-0 draw between the sides. A defeat for Italy, and they are out. Kick-off is at 17:00 BST.
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Team Stats
Italy Stats Romania 50% Possession 49% 14 Shots 17 4 Shots on target 5 2 Saves 3 12 Corners 5 19 Fouls 11 6 Offsides 4 2 Yellow cards 3 0 Red cards 0 19 Tackles 18 285 Accurate passes 277 74 Bad passes 48 -
Player Stats
- G =
- Goals
- S =
- Shots
- SoT =
- Shot on Target
- F =
- Fouls
- FW =
- Fouls Won
- O =
- Offsides
- A =
- Assists
- AP =
- Accurate Passes
- BP =
- Bad Passes
- T =
- Tackles
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Italy G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T 1 Gianluigi Buffon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 2 Christian Panucci 1 1 1 2 2 0 0 24 3 1 3 Fabio Grosso 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 26 17 0 19 Gianluca Zambrotta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 28 1 4 4 Giorgio Chiellini 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 29 4 2 20 Simone Perrotta 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 13 5 3 10 Daniele De Rossi 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 44 11 3 21 Andrea Pirlo 0 1 0 1 4 0 0 53 15 2 16 Mauro German Camoranesi 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 29 3 3 9 Luca Toni 0 5 1 3 2 3 0 8 2 0 7 Alessandro Del Piero 0 4 0 1 3 2 0 8 4 0 15 Fabio Quagliarella 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 1 8 Ivan Gennaro Gattuso 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 Marco Materazzi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Marco Amelia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 Andrea Barzagli 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 Alberto Aquilani 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 Massimo Ambrosini 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 5 Alessandro Gamberini 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 Antonio Cassano 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 15 6 0 12 Marco Borriello 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 Morgan De Sanctis 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 Antonio Di Natale 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -
Romania G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T 1 Bogdan Lobont 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 5 0 4 Gabriel Tamas 0 2 1 1 1 0 0 20 2 2 6 Mirel Matei Radoi 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 1 0 2 Cosmin Contra 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 35 1 4 15 Dorin Goian 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 16 1 0 7 Florentin Petre 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 14 0 1 5 Cristian Chivu 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 30 7 3 3 Razvan Rat 0 2 0 3 1 0 0 37 11 1 8 Paul Codrea 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 23 2 3 21 Daniel Niculae 0 1 0 0 3 2 0 22 3 2 10 Adrian Mutu 1 6 4 3 0 2 0 24 5 2 18 Marius Niculae 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 Marius Popa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 Eduard Stancioiu 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 Cosmin Moti 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 Razvan Cocis 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 22 Stefan Radu 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 Banel Nicolita 0 2 0 2 1 0 0 9 0 0 9 Ciprian Marica 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 Nicolae Dica 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 31 9 0 14 Sorin Ghionea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 Adrian Cristea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 Cristian Sapunaru 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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Summary
- 87' Toni goes to ground under a challenge from Goian inside the Romanian penalty area, but the free-kick goes to Romania!
- 81' Mutu trots up... AND BUFFON STICKS OUT HIS RIGHT HAND TO MAKE A TREMENDOUS SAVE! And then he's forced to tip over a header from Goian from the resulting corner! Italy inches away from going out of the tournament! Incredible stop by Buffon.
- 80' PENALTY TO ROMANIA! Panucci is penalised for hauling down Niculae at the near post as they challenge for a cross from the Romania left and the referee points to the spot!
- 78' Zambrotta's cross from the Italy right is diverted towards his own goal by Contra but Lobont is on hand to save!
- 75' Terrific save Lobont! Cassano's chipped pass is chested into De Rossi's path by Toni and De Rossi sends in a powerful diving header that Lobont dives to his right to push away!
- 70' Sight of goal for Romania! The ball falls for Niculae inside the Italy box but Grosso steps in to poke it off his toes!
- 63' Nicolita's cross from the Romania right is bravely headed clear by Panucci. And then Del Piero threads a perfectly weighted pass across the face of goal from the Italy left that Toni just can't get on the end of!
- 56' GOAL! 1-1! Grosso wins a corner on the left, the ball is headed back across goal at the back post by Chiellini and Panucci touches it over the line! Romania's lead lasted barely a minute!
- 55' GOAL! 1-0 Romania! Zambrotta sends a weak back header towards Buffon and Mutu nips in to divert the ball into the top-left corner! From nowhere, Romania take the lead, and as things stand Italy are out of the competition! Terrible mistake from Zambrotta.
- 53' Mutu tests Buffon with a swerving right-footed effort from the left-hand corner of the penalty area! It deviated in the air but Buffon watched it well.
- 45+2' Camoranesi wins a corner on the Italy right. He takes it short to Zambrotta, who sweeps the ball to the back post and Toni nods it home! He wheels away to celebrate, but the flag was up for offside, even though Toni appeared to be level.
- 40' Two brilliant saves from Lobont! First he superbly palms Toni's header from Del Piero's right-wing corner around his right-hand post, and from the subsequent corner he springs from his line to fist the ball away from Chiellini!
- 39' Sight of goal for Italy! Zambrotta's right-wing cross is nodded down by Toni for Perrotta, but Codrea produces a superb challenge to deny him!
- 28' Romania inches away! Rat takes aim from about 30 yards out in the inside-left channel and his low drive flies just wide of the far post!
- 27' Toni puts Camoranesi's right-wing cross just wide of the left-hand post with his head! Italy are getting closer...
- 26' Another beautiful Grosso cross from the Italy left is headed wide of the far post by Del Piero! Grosso is proving a very useful outlet so far.
- 20' ROMANIA HIT THE POST! Chivu's inswinging left-footed free-kick flicks off Christian Panucci and, with Buffon flat-footed, rebounds against the left-hand post before being cleared!
- 18' Good save Buffon! Romania win a free-kick about 35 yards from goal and Tamas sends in a skidding right-footed effort that Buffon springs to his left to push away!
- 17' Grosso picks out Toni with another measured cross from the left, but the big striker puts his back-post header over the crossbar!
- 15' Del Piero looks for Perrotta with a cute back-heel on the edge of the box, but Tamas intervenes. And then a chance for Romania! Mutu gets free down the Romania left and fires in a left-footed drive that Buffon parries!
- 13' Pirlo's inswinger is headed clear, De Rossi is expertly tackled in the box by Mutu and then Toni is inches away from connecting with Camoranesi's sweet cross from the left!
- 9' Chance for Italy! Del Piero deftly controls a clipped pass from Camoranesi, the ball breaks to Perrotta on the right-hand side of the area and his cross is headed wide of the near post by Goian! But the referee awards a goal kick! Del Piero was challenging him, but Goian definitely got the final touch.
Live Team Line-Up
- Referee: Tom Ovrebo
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ItalyManager: Roberto Donadoni
Captain: 7. Alessandro Del Piero
Starting line-up
- G. Buffon
- G. Zambrotta
- C. Panucci
- G. Chiellini
- F. Grosso
- A. Pirlo
- S. Perrotta
- D. De Rossi
- M. Camoranesi
- L. Toni
- A. Del Piero
Subs
- 13. M. Ambrosini
85′ - A. Gamberini
- 18. A. Cassano 56′
- 8. G. Gattuso
- 23. M. Materazzi
- 14. M. Amelia
- 17. M. De Sanctis
- 11. A. Di Natale
- 15. F. Quagliarella 76′
- 12. M. Borriello
- 6. A. Barzagli
- 22. A. Aquilani
Injured
None
Suspended
None
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RomaniaManager: Victor Piturca
Captain: Cristian Chivu
Starting line-up
- B. Lobont
- C. Contra
- G. Tamas
- D. Goian
- R. Rat
- F. Petre
- M. Radoi
- P. Codrea
- C. Chivu
- D. Niculae
- A. Mutu
Subs
- C. Sapunaru
- M. Niculae
- N. Dica 25′
- S. Ghionea
- A. Cristea
- B. Nicolita 60′
- C. Moti
- S. Radu
- R. Cocis 88′
- M. Popa
- E. Stancioiu
Injured
None
Suspended
None
Man of the match
Bogdan Lobont - Romania
Kept his side in the game with some terrific saves, even though opposite number Gianluigi Buffon stole his thunder.
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