|
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Awesome Azzuri Italy goes to top of Group B with 2-0 win
Posted: Wednesday June 14, 2000 05:53 PM
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Goals by Francesco Totti and Stefano Fiore silenced the home fans and put Italy three points clear at the top of its group in a 2-0 victory over Belgium at the Eurpean Championship on Wednesday. Totti headed the Italians in front after only six minutes and, after goalkeeper Francesco Toldo had made a string of fine saves to deny the Belgians, Fiore hit a 20-meter strike for the second after 66 minutes. The game at the King Baudouin stadium was between the co-leaders at the top of Group B who had both won their opening games. Now Italy, six points from two games, is virtually sure of a place in the quarterfinal while co-host Belgium, three from two, will anxiously await the result of Thursday's Sweden-Turkey game in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and then hope to beat the Turks in Brussels on Monday. "That was a great boost for our morale," Italian coach Dino Zoff said. "But we have to watch out. This doesn't mean yet that we're in the quarterfinal but it does make all Italians very happy. "We fought hard," he said. "We struggled because Belgium was very powerful, strong physically. We played better against Turkey, but it was a different match." The Belgians were down after creating many chances but not taking them. "We feel bad, disappointed," Belgian midfielder Gert Verheyen said. "You give it all your best, and you come up empty. Once 1-0 down we had to give it everything. When it was 2-0, we felt all the weight of fatigue. "We tried everything in the book, but there was no way to get past them." Belgian coach Robert Waseige said he still sees the same team spirit that pushed them past Sweden. "We were defeated because we didn't have that much experience against top-flight competition," Waseige said. "We can't complain however, I am satisfied with our team unity, though we have problems on our defensive flanks." Ninety minutes before the kickoff Italian players Paolo Maldini and Antonio Conte laid flowers at a plaque commemorating the 39 victims of the 1985 Heysel tragedy, the worst hooligan riot in European soccer history. On May 29, 1985, Liverpool fans rioted at the European Champions Cup final against Juventus Turin at the Heysel stadium. Thirty-nine people, including 33 Italians, died when a wall collapsed under the weight of fleeing fans. Ten years after the tragedy, the venue was renovated and renamed the King Baudouin stadium. Some early Italian pressure brought a goal after only six minutes. Belgian goalkeeper Filip De Wilde made two reflex-action saves to deny Paolo Maldini and Filippo Inzaghi in the same attack before the Italians won a free kick on the right flank. Demetrio Albertini curled in a free kick and Totti climbed above Nico van Kerckhoven to head home. The Belgians almost leveled within three minutes when Bart Goor powered a left foot shot that struck the crossbar and, in the follow up move, Toldo went down to save from Emile Mpenza. With only Inzaghi up as a full time attacker, Toldo became the busier goalkeeper, saving a header from Marc Wilmots, racing off his line to foil Mpenza. The Belgians then put together a four-man move, Mpenza rolled the ball back to Wilmots whose firmly struck shot was straight at the 'keeper. In all, Belgium registered nine shots on goal in the first half and controlled the ball 56 percent. Toldo's busy night continued after the break when he dived to his left to palm a shot from Lorenzo Staeens round the post and then got down low to his right to push a free kick from substitute Luc Nilis wide of the other upright. The Italians packed in their defense, using defender Fabio Cannavaro to contain the fleet-footed Mpenza, matching the forward's speed and compact build. Italy sent on Alessendro Del Piero for Totti, who had done little else right apart from score the first goal, and within three minutes went further ahead. Fiore swapped passes with Inzaghi, collecting the return pass two meters outside the Belgian area, and curled a stunning right foot shot between De Wilde and the right hand post. Fiore said that Italy, which had been maligned by the press coming into the tournament, had to continue its current course and take nothing for granted. "We were not upset by the critics and we are not exalted by the praise now," he said. "We must continue to feel humble." Totti added: "Now we can say that we are a team, and we've found our good form." Belgian defender Joos Valgaeren was relieved to hear Spanish referee Jose Maria Garcia Aranda whistle for a foul when he headed the ball into his own net under pressure from Italian substitute Marco Delvecchio.
Lineups:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
