Germany's Bernd Schneider (left) battles for the ball with Italy's Fabio Grosso during their World Cup semi-final match in Dortmund yesterday. Grosso scored Italy's first goal in their 2-0 extra-time win. - REUTERS
DORTMUND,
Germany (AP):
FABIO GROSSO and Alessandro del Piero each scored late in extra time yesterday to put Italy in the World Cup final after beating Germany 2-0.
Grosso curled a left-footed shot past the diving Jens Lehmann in the 119th minute to put the three-time champions into Sunday's final against either France or Portugal. Del Piero added another in injury time.
Italy will be playing in the World Cup final for the sixth time. The Italians won at home in 1934 and then added another four years later in France. Italy won their third title in 1982, beating West Germany in the final in Spain.
In both 1970 and 1994, the Italians lost to Brazil in the final.
"It was fantastic to be part of a match like that," said substitute striker Del Piero.
"To win in their own backyard - there aren't any words that describe what I'm feeling right now ...
"I've had some criticism recently, but today I demonstrated that my desire is as great as anyone else's."
REALISATION OF A DREAM
Italy coach Marcello Lippi said: "This is the realisation of a dream that has lasted a long time. If there was a team that was going to win this game, it was going to be us.
"In my view we controlled the match. We played against 50,000 people ... the German supporters were fantastic. We played a great game and we played better than Germany for the first 90 minutes.
"We scored two excellent goals... it was good that we avoided penalties because as you know, this is always a lottery."
Germany's coach Juergen Klinsmann said: "We are hugely disappointed (but) you can only compliment the team, they're a young team. It's amazing the spirit they showed, the character. They made a whole country really proud.
"It's something very special to play a World Cup in your home country. We've a lot of young players with a lot of quality," he said.
Striker Miroslav Klose agreed, saying: "I think we can still be proud of this team. We have a lot of young players and I think we have a future.
"Both sides had shots on goal and chances to decide the match, but my compliments to the Italians. They played hard and scored a nice goal," he said.
In the first half of extra time, Italy started out the better team, with Alberto Gilardino getting inside the German defence and sending a soft shot past Lehmann and off the post.
The ball rolled across the front of the open goal but there were no other Italian players to score.
A minute later, Gianluca Zambrotta sent a hard shot from outside the area off the crossbar.
The two teams were level 0-0 after 90 minutes, with Germany having more of the chances.
Miroslav Klose, the tournament's leading scorer with five goals, dribbled through three Italians before falling in the penalty area early in the second half.
Gianluigi Buffon made a two-handed save on Lukas Podolski's turnaround left-footer from close range, then Arne Friedrich shot over the net. As Italy tired, Germany kept coming.
PUNCH-OUT SAVE
But the Italians had allowed only an own-goal against the United States in five games, and their technique carried them even when their legs didn't want to.
Captain Michael Ballack put a 19-metre free kick from the middle over and wide in the 82nd, and Lehmann made a punch-out save with Simone Perrotta going for Francesco Totti's pass in the box in the 84th.
Italian defenders seemed to materialise from nowhere to block shots and clear other balls when the Germans pressed the attack.
The crowd, which was right on top of the action at the stadium, didn't seem to bother the visitors.
It was Mexican referee Benito Archundia who heard the fans' whistles most when he gave Tim Borowski a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in the 40th.
Italy have not lost since going down to Slovenia 1-0 in October 2004.
They now have three wins and two draws against Germany in World Cup play.
This is the third straight World Cup the Azzurri played the host country.
