Germany-Italy

[Dan D]

The semi-final will be played in Dortmund/Ruhrgebiet. I am sure, it will be a German-Italian carnival. I will take the tramway to Dortmund tomorrow to take part in an public-viewing pub event.
We do not only have a lot of Poles here, but also Italians.
The following link "La Regione Della Ruhr" is about the history of Italian migration to the ex-mining site "Ruhrgebiet" and about the joys of "Deutsche Vita" in the coal-mines:
http://www.angekommen.com/italiener/index.html
It tells the story of people like Giovanni Carollo, arrival 1900 or Giuseppe La Torre, born 1923 in Monte Sant' Angelo, Foggia, Apulien, worker in the coal-mine "Pluto" in Wanne-Eickel, who got 3 fingers squeezed off by a colliery lorry and who lives as a retired person in "beautiful, beautiful" Gelsenkirchen today. From Monte Sant' Angelo to the mining dumps of Gelsenkirchen, that has something, LOL.

"Neapel-Bochum-Rimini. Working in Germany. Holidays in Italy" is the name of an exhibition that will take place in the museum "Colliery Hannover" in Bochum in July.
http://www.lwl.org/LWL/Kultur/wim/S/hannover/Italien


I will finish this one with a joke:
Says the wife to her hubby: "let's have sex --long and dirty".
The hubby replies: "Don't you think it is already too late in the night to drive to Wanne-Eickel now?
(Wanne-Eickel, town in the Ruhr Region, which isn't really a beautiful place and where it is all "dead pants")

[Skybird]

A friendly English blog and a lot of friendly comments on the German "arch-enemy"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldcup/...o_win_the.html

We heared it from many visitors from many countries now that the experience of visiting us strange Germans was a far mor enjoyable experience than they expected

[Skybird]

Tonight - another true classic. Both teams met repeatedly in world cups, so far the Germans never managed to win, and scored three draws and two losses. Possibole that this will change tonight.

I see Italy's defense as stronger as that of the Argentinians, but their offense as weaker. Ther Germans have the advantage of being in top shape, being the host and having played a fanatstic tournament, growing stronger and stronger form match to match (like the French). In how far the banning of Frings will weaken them, and in how far that will be (over-?)compensated by the anger that is there becasue of that, remains to be seen.

Under different conditions I would have given the Italians the edge by 60:40 or 55:45, tonight I see it as a completely open case: 50:50.

[goldorak]

60%-40% for Italy vs Germany.
Italy has too strong a team, and if Lippi decides to use Inzaghi, then there won't be a match at all.

FORZA AZZURRI

[Frenssen]

If Lippi decides to use Inzaghi we will see 12 offsides

[goldorak]

Originally Posted by Frenssen

If Lippi decides to use Inzaghi we will see 12 offsides

I don't care how may offsides we'll see, if Pippo at the end scores 3+

[sergbuto]

No matter what Lippi decides or Pippo does, Italy is destined to be out due to FIFA policies.

[goldorak]

Originally Posted by sergbuto

No matter what Lippi decides or Pippo does, Italy is destined to be out due to FIFA policies.

No, thats actually Greece being banned from international competition by FIFA.

This isn't anymore 1966 when England won the world cup by being aided (to use an eufemism).

If Italy win 3-0 or 3-1 nothing the referee does will change the score.:rotfl:

[aaken]

If Italy win 3-0 or 3-1 nothing the referee does will change the score

well, that's kind of obvious. Where do you get your absolute certainties? Till now Italy hasn't played against any of the big teams; still Italy managed to suffer against USA and Australia. Well, ok, against Australia Italy didn't suffer that much, but still they didn't play well, many errors...Germany on the other hand seems to be more organized on the field.
I just hope it doesn't end up with penalty shoot-out.

[goldorak]

Originally Posted by aaken

well, that's kind of obvious. Where do you get your absolute certainties? Till now Italy hasn't played against any of the big teams; still Italy managed to suffer against USA and Australia. Well, ok, against Australia Italy didn't suffer that much, but still they didn't play well, many errors...Germany on the other hand seems to be more organized on the field.
I just hope it doesn't end up with penalty shoot-out.

No penalty shoot out.
We will win on the field within the 90min, mark my words aaken.

[goldorak]

Let the apocalypse begin.

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by goldorak

No penalty shoot out.
We will win on the field within the 90min, mark my words aaken.

You where saying??

Markus

[Sulikate]

Nein!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sulikate]

My only hope is now Portugal...

[Skybird]

Congratulations to the Italian team. they successfully worked around penalty shootouts, and probably know why

It was the expected sharp fight. Italy had minor but far from decisive advantages in the first half, while the Germans had small advanatges in the second and increased their fighting spirit. The two chances for Italy in the early minutes of the first half of overtime were unlucky not to score. Italian advantages in overtime were greater than during the first half of regular. Both teams had big chances. All in all, I think my previous estimation of 50:50 was correct, and the final result was okay. If the Germans would have won, it would have been okay, too.

Also a fair match, despite the intense fighting and many 1-on-1 duels. Good referee, all in all.

Frings was not missed. I wonder why Schweinsteiger was changed into the match when he obviously performed so poor in the matches before that this time he was left out.

But the way it was lost, to loose it in the last minute of overtime, and even get a second one some seconds later adds some bitterness to the defeat that I think the German team has not deserved.

For Germany, nevertheless a highly successful tournament and a presentation of the country and the people that most people without doubt had not expected from us. Well done!