I finally got to watch the Tivo'd match.
All in all, this was a cracking match. Italy really didn't miss Totti at all and I have to agree with the match commentator that some of the new players like Del Piero and Pirlo and Cassano make you forget the old guard.
This match was possibly the best I've seen in the tournament (save for England v. France) with both sides looking very dangerous at times and Italy occasionally looking sublime.
My only problem had to be with the occasional play-acting by the Italians--looking like they had been pole-axed one moment and then up and running the next. I hate that. Play the game like men. Don't dive, don't feign injury to run out the clock. I'm glad Gattuso is banned from the next match. Players like him don't deserve to be on the same pitch as players like Ibrahimovic and Pirlo. He's a disgrace to the Italian uniform.
I love the attack-minded play of the Swedes and Ibrahimovic and Larsson definitely proved to be a handful. As much as I started out rooting for Italy (a good friend is Italian and a football friend) I found myself coming to root for the Swedes. They play an exciting form of football--if not as refined as the Italians--and they don't play-act.
With this result of a well-earned draw, I believe the group remains wide open. This is proving to be a tremendously interesting tournament (my first Euro tournament).
Posted by artandscience at June 18, 2004 07:40 PM