When Italy faced Romania in Euro 2008 soccer Friday afternoon, they also faced elimination from the championship. Their play reflected their situation.
After their shocking 3–0 defeat by the Netherlands, Italy was in last place in its group having no points. Romania had gained a single point in the series by tying France earlier in the week.
Italy came out strong and threatened early.
At nine minutes, Alessandro De Pierro drove into Romania's penalty area, left the ball for midfielder Simone Perotta, who laid a perfect feed across the crease back to Del Pierro, whose header missed the right post by inches.
Italy kept the pressure on, gaining several more scoring opportunities in the next several minutes.
At 15 minutes Romania's Adrian Mutu got a breakaway, Romania's only offense thus far. Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon almost over-committed, but managed to reach back and grab the shot before it got by him
Heartened, Italian striker Gabriel Tamas almost drove a long free kick into the Italian net, but again Buffon made an outstanding effort to cross the entire width of the nest to bat the ball away.
At 19 minutes Romania got another free kick. Christian Chivu drove the shot towards the right corner but the ball deflected off Italian defender Christian Panucci, and rebounded off the left post—the ball was past Buffon, but didn't go into the net.
At this point it seemed momentum has swung to the Romania, as they had several good scoring attempts in a few minutes' time.
However on the rebound of Chivu's free kick, Romanian player Mirel Radoi collided with Romanian Razvan Rat, and had to be carried off the field. This seemed to switch momentum back to the Italians, as Italy pressed for several more scoring opportunities.
Italy seemed to be getting its chances by many short passes leading to short-range shots, while the Romanians were blasting long-range shots—20 yards and more—with such accuracy and velocity that Italian keeper buffoon was tested severely. But the Romanian chances were few and far between, while Italy kept sustained pressure on the Romanian net.
Romania's keeper Bogdan Labont kept Romania alive, making repeated desperate saves as Italy fired shot after shot on the net.
At 45 minutes Italy finally broke through with a 25-yard drive into the Romanian net, which was then called offsides and disallowed.
Euro 2008 Soccer
Finally, at nine minutes into the second half, Italian player badly misplayed a long Romanian free kick, heading the ball right onto the foot of Romanian striker Mutu, who drove it into the top of the Italian net.
Almost immediately Italy came back, scoring off a corner kick from the left corner. The ball came across the crease, Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini headed the kick from the right side of the net across and down to the lower left corner, where Italian Christian Panucci waited to tap it home. The Romanian keeper couldn't get back in time and the game was tied.
Around the seventy-minute mark Romania started pressing harder on the Italian net, finally getting players set in the Italian end and making a few passes to set up shots. The Italian defense, though ragged, was effective; the Italians seemed desperate and grasping on defense, counting on miraculous individual efforts to drive the ball clear at the last moment.
At the other end, the Romanians seemed to be relying on superhuman efforts by goalkeeper Bogdan Labont to keep the game even.
With 79 minutes, Mutu and Panucci collided in the goal crease on a corner kick and Mutu was awarded a penalty kick.
Mutu, who had Romania's only goal, took the kick, but Buffon guessed correctly, diving to his left. Buffon knocked the ball down with his hand, and the rebound struck his foot, bouncing out of the crease, saving the day for the Italians.
With 79 minutes, Mutu and #2 collided in the goal crease on a corner kick and Mutu was awarded a penalty kick.
Mutu, who had Romania's only goal, took the kick, but Buffon guessed correctly, diving to his left. Buffon knocked the ball down with his hand, and the rebound struck his foot, bouncing out of the crease, saving the day for the Italians.
As with yesterday's Poland-Austria game, Romania was awarded a free kick at the ninety-minute mark, but Romania could not convert. The game ended tied at 1
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