wc06: dodging rockets amidst german grief

While sitting in my fallout shelter here on the northeast coast of South Korea, listening to North Korean missiles splash down in the East Sea just outside the window of my flat, I bravely held my nerve and got down to the business of watching a World Cup semifinal match. Here’s what I saw:

Germany 0-2 Italy:

Let’s be honest about this, because I’m nothing if not honest: Italy were the better team this morning.

Damn, that hurt (but it’ll hurt even worse if I have to say it about Portugal, too, in 24 hours).

A pulsating match that gave us breathless fans extra time was decided on two late Italian goals, a stunner by Fabio Gross two minutes from time and then the polish from Alessandro del Pietro about a minute into the unannounced injury time, the very last kick of the match, in fact.

A match that had been simmering on boil since well before kickoff and had always seemed set to make those NK missiles seem like mere flying cupcakes, a chippy affair that had not been dirtily played (save for some rolling, diving, synchronised swimming, feigned amputations, and other dramatic histrionics from both sides), an intense meeting that had been mostly well-played and had seemed destined for extra time shortly after the break and for PSO when Italy hit the woodwork twice in the opening salvos of extra time suddenly, in a less-than-two-minute span, ended in spectacular fashion.

If it hadn’t have been for Jens Lehmann, or the aforementioned crossbar and post, Italy would have ended the match long before the 121st minute–or about the same time NK’s third or fifth or tenth missile littered my swimming area. This is not to say that Italy were heaps better than Germany on this occasion, but the Azzurri were the better team for most of the match. John Luke the Buffoon, er, Gianluigi Buffon was also tested on several occasions, especially in the first half, but the southern Europeans had the better chances, particularly late in the second half and in extra time.

This match was played in stark contrast to the Brasil-France quarterfinal from last weekend when both teams showed their respect for one another the entire game with repeated gestures of apologies for late tackles, hands offered to help opponents up from the ground and being accepted graciously, pregame reviews about the prowess and skill of the opponent, etc. This match had none of it: I remember twice where Germany refused to kick the ball out of bounds when there was an Italian allegedly hurt (the key being “allegedly”; this is Italy, after all) and at least three times when an Italian got stroppy and refused to shake hands with a German player offering to help him off the pitch.

Fortunately, the referee officiated the match levelheadedly and evenhandedly and only two cautions were issued, maybe three, I’m not sure, and the match never got ugly or out of hand, though it could easily have.

Germany had its chances throughout regulation and in extra time, only to be let down by poor finishing or untimely passing or, to give credit where it’s due, only to have the Italian defense turn them away. Their most notable chances in the first half came when Bernd Schneider beat Buffon but his shot just skimmed over the bar and then when Buffon twice stopped blasts from Lukas Podolski. Germany also had a first-half penalty claim that was denied by the referee when, in the box, Andrea Pirlo looked to have gotten an elbow up to block a shot by Michael Ballack.

In the end, the Italian defence held off the German advances and recorded their fifth clean sheet in six matches; in fact, their defence was so stout that they made most likely Golden Boot winner Miroslav Klose invisible for nearly the entire match. I don’t remember any contribution to the German cause from him.

The Italians ran out deserved winners and have to feel very confident about their chances at the weekend in the final against either nation they face, Portugal or France. Indeed, with their defence as suffocating as ever, they’re looking more and more formidable with each passing match.

And, now, back to your emergency chat sessions about the NK missile launch implications… For me, it’s simple: how are my swimming and surfing areas now affected and how, in the future, is my daily seafood ration going to taste?