June 25, 2006
BITTER DEFEAT FOR SOCCEROOS
Stoppage time pk send Italy through

KAISERLSAUTERN, Germany---Second half substitute Francesco Totti scored on a penalty kick in stoppage time to give Italy a 1-0 win over Australia.

The penalty kick was awarded in the waning seconds of the game as the man-down Italians were making a last ditch push to score. Australia’s Lucas Neill made a slide tackle on Fabio Gross, tripping him in the process.

Totti calmly sent the pk into the upper right corner of the net, easily beating Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. Not only did the goal win the game, it helped Italy avoid going into overtime, a process that has led to the Azzurri’s exit from the last four World Cups.

For the Italians, it was also the second time in the last three games, they played most of the second half a man down. This time, it was Marco Materazzi who was sent off in the 50th minute after tripping Marco Bresciano.

Both teams had their chances, with both goalkeepers coming up big on several occasions.

Luca Toni was in the game very early on, but was unable to connect. In the third minute, he sent a header just wide of the Aussie net, and in the 22nd minute, he made a beautiful turning move in the box, sending a left footed shot on net, forcing Schwartzer to make a foot save.

In the 41st minute, Toni nodded a ball on to the foot of an onrushing Gennaro Gattuso, who missed the net.

After Materazzi was ssent off in the 51st minute, the Italians still had chances, perhaps none better than in the 64th minute, when Gattuso sent a pass sailing over a wide open Alessandro Del Piero. Two mintutes later, Del Piero blasted a 25 yard free kick that was tipped over by Schwartzer.

Australia’s Mark Viduca had a wonderful opportunity in the 24th minute, tipping a header in the box right at Italian ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

After John Aloisi came on in the 81st minute in place of Mile Sterjovski, the Aussie really put some pressure on the tiring Italians. Tim Cahill sent a header off a Bresciano corner kick just wide. Then Viduca rushed in on a cross, in the goalkeepers box, only to have Buffon smother the ball just as he tried to take a shot. And, finally, Aloisi made a valiant, but failed attempt at an in-close bicycle kick in the 90th minute.