Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Leave The Room - LITTLE BOY BLUE'S WORLD CUP DIARY

There was little more than a minute left and, after two hours of enthralling action, it looked like we were about to overdose on penalties again. The Italians had what should have been one last hopeful shot at goal, for reasons best known to himself, Jens Lehmann turned the ball round the post instead of holding it but, as the big keeper had been gathering their corners effortlessly all night, it looked like a good time to answer the call of nature.
 
No sooner had I pointed Percy at the porcelain than a roar went up from the living room. "It's in!" Of course, once you start, you can't stop and, having been updated with a few gleeful shouts, I was just completing my business when I heard: "Hey, they've got another one!"
 
That is how your humble World Cup Diarist will recall arguably the best game of Germany 2006. Much to my surprise, Italy had been no less positive than the Germans, the play flowed from one end to the other and it was astonishing that neither side managed to score in the regulation 90 minutes.
 
It was a great game, played in a great spirit, and refereed sensibly (surprise surprise). As always, Rino Gattuso – the guy the Corduroy Cowboy would have people believe we didn't rate! – was at the heart of everything. He made sure the Germans had no time on the ball in midfield and it says it all about his levels of energy that he was still digging into tackles in the latter stages of such a draining game.
 
I'd expected this one to be all about the Italians pulling everyone behind the ball, then breaking out at pace, but they went for it. An early long range free-kick from Totti served as a warning to Germany but I'm afraid they lacked something on the night it mattered most. Maybe it was the suspension of Frings for his involvement in some scrappy afters at the end of the penalty shoot-out with Argentina for Kehl, Ballack and Burowski never did get the upper hand against Gattuso, Totti and Pirlo in midfield.
 
In the latter stages of the 90 minutes, both sides became conscious of the dangers of blowing it and settled for the extra half-hour. Then it was Italy who went for it big-time as sub Gilardino hit the inside of the post and Zambrotta smacked one off the crossbar. Germany twice threatened in extra-time, with Podolski heading wide when he really should have hit the target, then forcing a save from Buffon ten minutes from the end.
 
With penalties beckoning, it all looked good for Germany. After all, while the German just seem to win shoot-outs for fun, Italy have only bitter memories of World Cup defeats from Argentina (1990), Brazil (1994) and France (1998). Perhaps it was the fear of yet another horror story which kept them going right to the end.
 
So as I headed for a single fish, they knocked a late corner into the box, the ball broke to Pirlo who neatly slipped a pass through to left-back Fabio Grosso and he curled his shot into the corner of the net. And with the Germans still reeling (and me still leaking) the game was killed stone dead with a classic counterattack which ended with Alessandro Del Piero clipping the ball high into the net. 
 
So there will be no big party in Germany this weekend. I can't see the host nation getting too excited about the third/fourth place match, unless it happens to be against the French. But can you really see Zidane and company losing to Portugal? Nope, me neither.
 
Who will Bears be supporting on Sunday? Rino Gattuso for past heroics or France to keep Le New Gaffer happy? I think I'll toss a coin...or maybe just spend the entire game in the loo.
 
LITTLE BOY BLUE