Australia shoved, tackled and forearmed Italy at times during Monday’s World Cup match, but it was a play with little contact that set Italy up for its game-winning penalty kick.
Only seconds remained in stoppage time when Australia defender Lucas Neill slid into an airborne Fabio Grosso while in the box, causing Grosso to trip over Neill and be awarded a penalty kick.
Francesco Totti capitalized on the questionable call by referee Luis Medina and buried the kick just past the reach of Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer for the 1-0 win.
Minutes after the match, Australia’s players stood motionless on the field staring in the direction of the goal where Totti ended their World Cup run.
“We fully dominated against a team that is much more highly ranked than us,” Australian coach Guus Hiddink said. “If you see the replay, there is no doubt it wasn’t a penalty.”
Italy coach Marcello Lippi disagreed.
“There were two fouls on [Neill],” he said. “[Grosso] didn’t go down under the first and he carried on dribbling and then sustained another clear foul.”
Australia held the three-time World Cup champions scoreless until Totti’s 95th-minute strike, but Italy just as easily could have been up a goal or two in the first 25 minutes had it been able to finish on its many chances.
A volley by forward Alberto Gilardino was tipped over the net by Schwarzer, and a shot by another Italian forward, Luca Toni, was stopped with Schwarzer’s leg.
The 46,000 at Fritz-Walter Stadion saw Toni’s frustration continue when he threw his hands up in the air after Vincenzo Iaquinta was unable to find him in stride early in the second half.
Also throwing a frustrated arm up in the air was Italy defender Marco Materazzi in reaction to the red card he received in the 50th minute after delivering a tackle from behind.
Materazzi’s sendoff left Italy to play with 10 men most of the second half.
“There was a real desire to succeed and real determination–plus a bit of organization because it is not easy to defend in 10,” Lippi said. “These lads showed great heart, great character and also great quality.”
With Gilardino replaced right before halftime and Toni replaced in the 56th minute, Italy had no substitutes left after Totti entered the match in the 75th minute. This would have favored Australia had the match gone into the 30-minute extra time.
For Totti, the goal came in the same round in which he was sent off with two yellow cards during the controversial 2002 World Cup loss to South Korea. Interestingly, the coach leading the opposite bench during Totti’s disastrous game was the same one he sent packing Monday–Hiddink.
Ukraine 0, Switzerland 0: In Monday’s other match, the Ukrainians made the quarterfinals in their first World Cup, blanking the Swiss for 120 minutes and winning a shootout 3-0 in Cologne.
Goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskyi didn’t have to work very hard, especially in the shootout. Two Swiss misses were right at him, the other went off the crossbar.
Meanwhile, Artem Milevskiy, Serhiy Rebrov and Oleg Gusev connected for Ukraine.
Tuesday’s games
Brazil vs. Ghana
10 a.m., ESPN, WGBO-Ch. 66 (Spanish)
Quick look: Ronaldo’s two goals against Japan show he’s regaining his touch, but Japan is no Ghana. The “Black Stars” shut down the No. 2-ranked Czech Republic and will use their size and speed in hopes of taking down the No. 1 team.
Prediction: Brazil 2-0. The absence of Michael Essien (two yellow cards) leaves Ghana without its main playmaker to counter Brazil’s Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos.
Spain vs. France
2 p.m., ESPN, WGBO-Ch. 66 (Spanish)
Quick look: Led by Fernando Torres’ three goals, Spain hopes to continue its dominance in this World Cup and shed its “underachiever” reputation. France’s Thierry Henry also will want to silence critics and disprove the notion that he can’t perform on the international stage.
Prediction: Spain 2-1. France looks old and tired. It will be unable to compete with Spain’s combination of youth (Torres) and experience (Raul).
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larroyave@tribune.com
