2 JULY 2000

TREZEGUET HERO, DEL PIERO VILLAIN

FRANCE				2-1			ITALY
Wiltord 94						Delvecchio 55
Trezeguet 103

Henry hit the outside of the post with a cross/shot. Pessotto and Fiore
combined on the right, Fiore pulled back a perfect cross to the far post but
Delvecchio volleyed wide. Henry destroyed Nesta on the left flank before
cutting inside and taking a pop at goal, the ball landed at Djorkaeff's feet
but his miserable shot was easily saved. Desailly should have been sent off
for elbowing Cannavaro in a crowded penalty area, the officials didn't see
it.

Cannavaro made a fantastic tackle in the box as Henry was put through by
Zidane. Totti slipped in Pessotto with a delightful back heel through
Lizarazu's legs, Pessotto whipped in a teasing first time cross and Delvecchio
volleyed into the top corner. Magnificent goal. Thuram should have been
sent off for going through the back of Totti whose trademark over reaction
probably didn't help. Totti gave Del Piero a gift with a superb pass,
Del Piero, one on one with Barthez, shot hopelessly wide. Nesta made
the tackle of the tournament, sliding in to rip the ball from Wiltord's feet
without bringing him down. Toldo made an excellent block with his feet from
Henry's close range effort. Delvecchio volleyed wide,  Totti with another
superb pass. Substitute Ambrosini gave Del Piero another 100% chance with a
superbly weighted pass but his limp shot was easily saved. Surprisingly Zoff
substituted Delvecchio for Montella late in the match. Deep into injury time
Trezeguet flicked on Barthez's goal kick, Cannavaro headed the ball straight
to Wiltord, he bounced it off his chest and fired past Toldo who was late
going down.

Toldo spilled a drive by Pires and took a kick in the face from Trezeguet on
the follow up, breaking his nose in the process. Pires intercepted a poorly
controlled ball by Albertini, ran past him unchallenged, no surprise there,
teased Cannavaro by showing him the ball before whipping it away and
pulling back a fabulous cross, through Nesta's legs, for Trezeguet to hammer
a spectacular first time shot high into the roof of the net. Assist of the
tournament and arguably the goal of the tournament.

A fantastic match. Italy, surprisingly, took the game to France and should have
won comfortably. Zidane had his usual Serie A game (and that's no
exaggeration) i.e. he was hopeless. Henry abused the Italian defence all match
but didn't get any change out of Toldo. Nesta was the pick of the defenders.
Cannavaro was brilliant for 90 minutes but went to sleep on the first goal.
The real villain was Del Piero who made two unforgivable, treacherous misses
that will haunt him for the rest of his life. Not sure where the ref found
four minutes of injury time from at the end of normal time.

Man Of The Match : Totti - Gave a classic performance, the type he used to
give on a weekly basis before the arrival of Nakata. It's not the first time
he's gave an outstanding performance and ended up on the loosing side,
after all he plays for Roma.

Assists : Pessotto to Delvecchio
Pires to Trezeguet