EURO 2008 INFO

Cristian Chivu, captain of the Romanian selection, had warned: Italy would discover the "true face" of Adrian Mutu, disappointing during his first appearance against France. The Romanian leader Thursday was a key architect of good tie obtained by his team, Friday, June 13, to face Italy (1-1). This result is the business of Romania and puts Italy in a bad position in the race for qualification for the quarter-finals. Prophetic, Chivu had only forgotten to predict that Mutu would find its way on a certain Gianluigi Buffon, the world's best goalkeeper. The doorman Juventus saved the furniture for his team, stopping a penalty kick by Mutu who could return the Italians at home.

In the Letzigrund Zurich, the Italians, first, trying to increase the danger on the cage of the Romanian goalkeeper Lobont. With Grosso energetic in his left corridor, Camoranesi in game leader, Toni and Del Piero to finish, the Squadra Azzurra acquired frank opportunities but from the first quarter of an hour. But the Italians lacked realism, and the two points could not realize the bottom of their team. The Romanians could meet the same tac-au-tac the Italian onslaught. Mutu, then Tamas, beat the powerful but without deceive Buffon. It was then the turn of Chivu to find the post on a free kick distant hijacked by Panucci.

Dominateurs, men Roberto Donadoni could not really take precedence over a Romanian team that much more attractive during his first match. Friands air game, the Italians increased breakthroughs on the wings to find the head of Toni, by far the most Italian in sight. Seriously tancés, Romanians will repliaient on their lines backwards. They had even rely on the arbitrator who annulled a goal by Toni's head in the judgments game of the first period for a questionable offside.

IMPERIAL BUFFON
The n'arrangeait not break the affairs of the Squadra. The Italians showed too timid, too slow and most importantly, to disturb a defence Romanian locked by Tamas Auxerrois. It is even rearguard Italian craquait the first. On an opening forty meters, Zambrotta remisait the head in the middle of the feet of Mutu, esseulé. The player of Fiorentina could catapult the ball into the window of Buffon, beaten (1-0, 54th).

Blessée, Italy replied immediately. On a corner struck by Camoranesi, Chiellini deviated from head to Panucci, which marked the flat foot for equalization stamped "100% central defenders' (1-1, 56th). In the aftermath, the entry of Cassano to replace Perrotta, little at ease for his first tenure of the competition, gave the movement to the lines before Italy.

But not enough to destabilize a Romanian team very safe and technically that could move the dangerous combinations in the vicinity of the surface of Buffon. Only a head of De Rossi, on a discount Toni, alertait excellent Lobont. The Romania lacked even go to sea. Niculae, on the surface surrounded by Panucci, offered a penalty kick and the ball break to Mutu. It was not counting on the skill of Gianluigi Buffon, who stopped shooting to play the master of the Romanian team (80th).
Physically the penalty, the Italians failed to take advantage of the momentum created by Buffon. Their attempts were not enough to upset a strong Romanian team, which makes this tie with a good operation. Laminate by the Netherlands, rudoyée by Romania, the selection of Roberto Donadoni is still alive, but will necessarily win, Tuesday, January 17, against the team of France.